Disclaimer: noo i dont own harry potter and co.

.

Chapter 17

.

Hermione stared.

And stared.

And stared.

She could hear Draco echoing inside her head.

Over and over and over... bits and pieces of their conversation...

"Isn't it obvious Granger? We're getting married."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Obvious?"

"We're getting married."

"...married."

As Hermione stood in shock, she watched Draco's face morph into a smug smirk.

Hermione regained her composure. "What the hell did you just say?" she screeched, jumping up to glare at him.

Draco merely raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Are you deaf, Granger? Do I need to repeat myself? I said our solution is quite simple. We're going to get married."

Draco stifled his amusement as he watched the woman's emotions run over her face.

Confusion, shock, anger.

He honestly didn't know why had he said it, but it was worth it to watch Hermione's face go from shocked to confused to pissed off. Draco may have decided to be civil and act more respectable towards his child's mother - well, respectable for him, anyway - despite the false accusations of him hitting her, but he still liked to rile her up.

Just for old time's sake, of course.

Draco cleared his throat and scooted his chair closer to the table, raising his eyebrows challengingly.

Hermione opened her mouth, but closed it again.

"Have I rendered Hermione Granger speechless?" Draco smirked, taking a sip of his drink casually.

"You're barking," Hermione snapped, abruptly getting up from her seat. "If you'll excuse me, I have other things to do - get your hands off of me!"

Draco had wrapped his hand around her wrist, preventing her from leaving. "Granger, sit down."

Hermione grabbed the Daily Prophet and smacked his hand, "Leave me alone!" she hissed.

Draco snatched the paper from her with his other hand and placed it on top of the chair next to him, away from her reach. He turned to her again with a scowl and rolled his eyes, but gently tugged her closer to him.

"Granger, everyone is watching. Do you want more curious people wandering around in our business? Because if not, I recommend you sit down, hush up and stop making make a scene."

Hermione glared at him, but looked up. People were giving them curious glances. Giving a quick reassuring smile to the nosy audience, she gently sat back down, only to slap his hand away from her wrist.

Draco tutted at her, but didn't say anything as he let go. "My, my, aren't we violent today?"

"I remember you being more violent to me, so shut up," she snapped, grabbing her forgotten drink and taking a big sip, relishing the burning in her throat.

Draco could feel her annoyance settling in him as he let out a heavy sigh. "For fuck's sake, Granger, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't even remember -"

''Oh, shut up," Hermione said, taking her wine cup and swirling the liquid around idly. "Just stop talking."

She heard Draco let out a deep sigh, but she didn't bother looking up. So, it was going to be like that again? Him supposedly not remembering hitting her? Hermione sighed inwardly.

As if. That was simply impossible for him to forget. After all, he was a horrible, evil man. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater, no matter how "changed" they claimed to be.

After a few more awkward minutes, she could feel Draco's stare burning into her skin, giving her no choice but to look up.

He was looking at her with an almost painful stare. His mouth was curved downwards and his eyebrows were furrowed as if in deep thought, but his eyes pierced her with an intense look, causing her to remain uncomfortable.

"Stop staring at me," Hermione mumbled, throwing him a cold glare.

Draco merely blinked, as if only just realizing what he was doing. Clearing his throat, he shook his head and stared at the table.

"Granger, I don't care if you don't believe me but I honestly don't remember hitting you. If I did, that is." He ignored Hermione's hollow laugh and paused. It was really hard apologizing for something he didn't remember doing.

Cursing himself, Draco continued to glare at the tabletop and cleared his throat before speaking again. "If I did, then I am so sorry. I know we will never get along, but please." He finally looked up, thankful that she was at least listening to him. "We need to work this out, together. For Aidan."

Hermione blinked, and looked away.

So he had apologized. But was that enough? When she was small, Hermione's parents had always taught her that if you hurt someone and felt bad about it, you apologized. But she was not a little girl anymore. How could she trust him?

"Let's just keep this professional, then?" Hermione suggested. "This is only about work and Aidan."

Draco nodded, relieved that they were finally moving forward. "Right."

"I mean, none of this nonsense about getting married," Hermione said slowly, hoping he understood her point.

Draco blinked. "A Malfoy can't have a bastard son, Granger." Immediately, he regretted it.

Hermione felt the heat of her anger bubbling to the surface once again as his words washed over her.

Bastard son? Did that foul man just call her son a bastard?

Hermione grabbed her drink and tossed the remainder of it onto his face, watching with a satisfied smirk as the wine stained his hundred-galleon dress robes and dripped down his pale pointed face. She was so satisfied that she didn't notice that the people around them gasped and whispered, wanting to know what Draco's reaction would be.

Like she cared.

"Screw you, Malfoy," she said quietly, as Draco's wine-splattered face glared back at her.

Her satisfaction was short lived.

"This is ridiculous," Draco growled under his breath, getting up. He threw a small pile of coins on top of the table for their drinks, grabbed her arm before she could leave, and immediately Apparated them away from the nosy crowds.

.

.

Blaise gathered Astoria's hair and pushed it to the side, stroking her in the process. He leaned down to kiss her cheeks and frowned when he felt the wetness. "What's wrong?"

Astoria smiled sadly. "I just feel guilty, that's all."

"What for?" Blaise asked, taking her hand and placing a chaste kiss on her palm. "We got what we wanted, right? You're no longer engaged to him. You and I are free to be together."

Astoria sighed, turning her head away from him to face the ceiling, "I know. But all that we had to go through and poor Narcissa… and -"

"This is why I love you," Blaise laughed. "You are so nice. Too nice, I think."

Astoria grinned. "Am not. I mean, I did cheat on my fiancé with you, after all."

Blaise smirked. "That's not all you did," he said cheekily, rolling on top of her, swallowing Astoria's squeals of delight. "You and I… we're going to get married, right?"

"Yes," Astoria said, stroking his hair. "Let's wait until the news of my failed engagement to Draco fades and then I will be all yours."

.

.

"Let go of me!" Hermione snapped, yanking her arm away from his grasp as they landed. She took a step back and gathered her bearings as she looked around them.

"Why did you Apparate us here?" she asked, nodding towards the grassy areas around them and noticing people jogging around far from them. She gasped, "You're an idiot! Muggles could have spotted us Apparate!"

Draco threw her a look as he bent down to pick up a rock. "I'm not stupid, Granger. I cast a type of invisible charm on us so the Muggle eyes can't see."

"That still doesn't explain why we're here."

Draco sighed, throwing the rock at the lake. The embarrassment was almost too overbearing for him. "This is where I found out."

Hermione's patience was decreasing. "Found out what, Malfoy?"

"Where I found out you were pregnant with our baby." He didn't know why he said it. He wanted to mentally kick himself in the face for even telling her that. Fuck, it sounded too cheesy for his liking. Why did he tell her? He could have just lied.

However, Hermione was just shocked that he even remembered. After all, he kept claiming he didn't remember some parts of their 'relationship'. So, she cleared her throat and asked, "What? You found out at the manor when Astoria told you, didn't you?"

He turned around to face her and surprised her with a thin, but real smile.

"No. I mean, I kind of figured it out here. You were talking to your bloody stomach like a moron. Hermione Granger, eating ice cream when she's known for not eating sweets thanks to her parentage and how you vomited it all out after slapping me." He smirked at the blush forming in her cheeks as he continued. "It wasn't hard to put everything together. I just didn't want to believe it."

"Until Astoria confirmed it," Hermione finished for him.

"Well, technically the Healer, but yeah." Draco shrugged as he walked up to her. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a tiny sting of hurt to her reaction, backing away from him. "Granger -"

"So, what? You're feeling nostalgic all of a sudden?" Hermione asked, still backing away from him as he drew closer. She stopped when her back hit a rubbish bin - the same rubbish, she grimaced in thought.

Draco must have noticed, because he smirked again. "Merlin, Granger. Don't be scared. It's not like I can hurt you here in public, can I?" he murmured, finally taking the last step closer to her.

Hermione held her breath but kept her chin up. "Malfoy -"

"I meant it when I said I didn't remember," Draco interrupted her, still speaking softly so only she could hear. "I know I keep saying it, but it's true. I know you don't believe me, but I'm not lying when I say that I will help you and Aidan."

Hermione looked away, uncomfortable. "Look -"

"He's not a bastard," he said suddenly, getting her attention. "I shouldn't have said that."

"I'm not going to marry you," Hermione let out. "Just because we have a son, it does not mean - I mean, I don't care what the papers say anymore -"

"At least an engagement," Draco tried to reason with her. "My reputation as a Malfoy still can't have -"

"I don't care about your bloody reputation!" Hermione replied angrily. "I don't want my son to have an unloving family!"

"So, you rather he'd be fatherless?" Draco snapped back, getting irritated with the stubborn witch. Couldn't she see he was trying?

It was as if she read his mind, for her expression relaxed into a defeated one. "Draco... I'm not saying I don't want you in his life. I did, but he still has the right, especially since you're trying."

"But marriage is a big deal and I don't want that kind of marriage," she continued, slowly pushing his chest so he could give her some space.

Draco continued to stare at her silently. Hermione inwardly prayed to Merlin that he understood what she was trying to say. Seriously, married? To him? Unlikely. It may be old-fashioned, but she only wanted to marry for love. Not for a stupid reputation.

"Okay," Draco said, defeated. "But, promise me that I get to know everything going on with him?"

Hermione would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked. Normally, Draco would throw some kind of male bitch-fit for not getting what he wanted. But there he was now, letting her win.

Not wanting to cause any more trouble, she nodded. "Thank you."

Draco took a step back and watched as Hermione quickly went around him, heading towards the bench. She let out a heavy breath as she sat down, obviously tired.

Frowning, Draco shoved his hands into his pocket and stared at the floor, mindlessly kicking the rocks here and there. He was trying to think back to after he found out about her pregnancy. When they accused him of hitting her. Why couldn't he remember? He definitely remembered a lot of rage and shouting.

He was inwardly ashamed of his anger problems. His mother always said that he had his father's temper. But not the way he hurts women! he thought to himself. He doesn't want to act like his father.

He was not his father. Not him. No.

He was so deeply in thought that he didn't hear Hermione calling him.

"Malfoy?"

He blinked, looking up. Hermione was giving him a curious look but nodded to him to come closer to her, much to his surprise. He didn't hesitate.

"People are giving you weird looks, Malfoy," Hermione said as she scooted away from him when he sat down next to her. "What are you doing, staring at the floor?"

"Trying to remember when I slapped you," Draco said bluntly, not caring anymore.

He heard Hermione inhale sharply. "Malfoy-"

"I'm trying, Granger," he muttered, placing his head in his hands and groaning with frustration. "It's like someone messed up my memories or something. I only remember bits and pieces."

"Tell me," Hermione suggested, "maybe I can help. What do you remember? Tell me every single memory you have with me. Even small ones."

Draco shrugged, remaining slouched. "I just remember being rotten. I'm sorry about that. Then, when you were speaking to my mother in the other room, I just remember fuming inside the other room, eating an apple, muttering to myself how unfair and stupid everything was, pushing a chair... next thing I know, you were in the room, both of us shouting, and then -"

He stopped, looking blank and confused.

Hermione was literally at the edge of her seat. It was strange hearing his version of it.

"And then?" she urged him.

"And then that's all... next thing I know, after we shouted, I told you to leave because my anger was all over the place. Then Astoria showed up." Draco looked up, his features marred with frustration. "Granger, when did I do it?"

However, Hermione frowned. "That's all, Draco? You don't remember anything else?"

Draco didn't miss the use of his first name, but didn't question it.

"That's all, Granger. I just remembered us shouting, insulting each other and then kicking you out before Astoria came."

He studied Hermione's expression. She looked troubled, so the uneasiness inside him increased. "Granger?"

"You hit me that day," she mumbled, looking away to stare at the lake. "I called you a Death Eater, compared you to your father and then you slapped me."

She could hear Draco's breathing becoming uneven, so she turned her head to look at him. He was staring at her, his eyes dancing around as he looked at her face for any signs of deceit. But none.

"Granger, I'm sorry, I don't remember that," he groaned, angry at himself. What the fuck, was he going mad or something?

Hermione frowned, but didn't say anything. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought as she bit the side of her lip, her eyes glued to the scenery in front of them.

What made him forget? Was he Obliviated? Did someone mess with his memories?

"Draco, do you remember Astoria casting a spell on you or something?" she asked, thinking of the possibilities. "Maybe you had caught her with Blaise, so she tried to Obliviate your memories, accidentally including this one?"

Draco shook his head. "No, she's not gifted with memory charms."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Exactly. And look, she must have erased your memory with me -"

"It's not her," Draco snapped. "I would know because she didn't have a wand with her anyway, plus Blaise was at work at the time. I remembered owling him with my frustrations. Besides, Astoria was with my mother the whole time. It has to be someone inside the manor."

"But you don't remember who?"

"If I did, I wouldn't be in this mess, would I?"

Hermione let out a heavy sigh and shrugged. "Well what else is there, Malfoy? I mean, if not memory charms, then what? Unless someone tried to poison you with a potion to make your blood pressure and anger increase then -"

She stopped and gasped.

Merlin...

"What?" Draco asked, also alert. "What is it?"

She looked at him again. "Where did you get the apple?"

Draco frowned. "What?"

"The apple. You said you ate an apple," she said impatiently. "Did it taste funny? Where did you get it? Who brought it?''

Draco glared at her. "Are you kidding me? A bloody apple is what you came up with?"

"Answer the question."

Draco huffed, continuing with the steely glare. "It tasted fine to me. I don't remember where or who brought it. It was just there; I was angry, I saw it and I took it. I wanted to hurl it across the room, but ate it instead for some reason."

"Do you normally have fruit hanging around?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

Draco opened his mouth to talk but hesitated. "Well... no, but -"

"There you go!" Hermione jumped up. "Someone must have laced it with something that must have caused you to act violent. One of the side effects must have been memory loss!"

Draco stared at her. The witch had gone mad. Really? An apple? Out of all the possibilities that could have happened, she had thought of the bloody irrelevant fruit? He continued to stare at her.

Hermione's eyes were bright with excitement, her cheeks pink from breathing heavily and her hair messy as always. Crazy bitch.

"You're mad," Draco scoffed, getting up from the bench to walk away from her.

That time, Hermione was the one who ran towards him.

"You said you want to know what happened," she said, grabbing his arm.

Draco whirled around, glared at the skin contact and growled. "I do, but honestly? A fucking apple?"

"Hey, things are not always what they seem!" Hermione argued, following him. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you!" Draco shouted over his shoulder, heading towards a shaded place to avoid Muggles.

"I'm serious!" but he had already apparated away.

Hermione groaned in frustration and glared at the spot he had left. She had no proof, but if he was telling the truth when he said he didn't remember anything and would never hit a girl, it was a good possibility he was poisoned with an apple.

Honestly, hadn't the Wizarding World heard of Snow White?

But who did it? And why?

.

.

THANK YOU TO SIRIUSLY HOLLY FOR BEING AN AWESOME BETA!

hiii everyone! Welcome back ;)

sorry it's a shorter chapter, but at least we know what the possible cause of his memory loss! haha

I know what you were thinking, "OMFG WHERE HAS SHE BEEN, HASN'T UPDATED IN MONTHS LA LA LA LA" i know i know, i'm so sorry! I have been sooo busy with college, my internship, and job and im finally done so yes ILL HAVE MORE TIME ON MY HANDS!

however, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE READERS WHO STAYED AND WAITED AND CONTINUED TO READ! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME.

REVIEWS = DEFINITELY UPDATE ASAP. hahaha