The Poisoned Apple Chapter 32, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has been reading my story with patience.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are not adult enough to read the following contents, please don't read it. I am not a psychopath to resort to something as violent as 'that' to whip a romance between the two main characters. I have a definite goal with this angst story and will appreciate it if you patiently follow.

Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and follows. They were most rewarding.

Thanks to: nikki98, arya, v-x-y-zz, Grovek26,roni2010, happyhoper, Lisa suschenko, ramyfan and owensmom for their kind reviews.

I/R: Thanks all for liking my last chapter and new German character Günther Amadeus. It is always fun to write Adrian and Audre.

Happyhoper: Thanks for LOVING my fiction. I would be waiting for your next review and please don't fall from you chair.

Acknowledgements:

Miffy is Dick Bruna's property.

The lullaby is a Czech folk song.

The description of Château d'If is from Alexander Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo and Wikipedia.

Eiffel Tower and the restaurant Le Jules Verne comes from several articles and Google map which I scrutinized very closely. I even checked the menu and the opening hours of the restaurant. It was said that the restaurant opened in 2007 but it was so beautiful that I used for a story that is centered three years earlier.

The quote from Chamber of Secrets has been taken from the book.

Well I guess, that's it. So enjoy and don't forget to leave a review.

This fiction of mine is getting fewer reviews than I expected. So if you can read it, you can surely leave a review.

My fiction 'The Poisoned Apple' has been nominated for The Hogwarts award in the category Hermione Romance. It is posted on the site and I would like you to cast your vote on the site under 'vote' tab.

The website is hogwartsawards DOT weebly DOT com **replace DOT with a . The link can also be found in my profile. Please VOTE for my fiction. it matters a lot for me and I guess for you too.

THERE IS ALSO A POLL IN MY PROFILE. FEEL FREE TO VOTE.

For some adult language and theme this chapter is rated: M.

Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblance is co-incidental.

Chapter 32: The Art of Deal.

"Miffy the artist by Dick Bruna!" – Adrian read aloud and turned the first page of the Muggle children's book before him.

The afternoon of the first day of the week was progressing well for Audré as she sat down and listened to Adrian who was sitting on Hermione's reading table. She had noticed that the boy somehow had a propensity to occupy the topmost surface of any furniture, whether it was a table, or a marble counter or a wardrobe. He would sit cross legged and look at the book on his lap – that was his unique reading and writing style. Hermione being the serious mother she was had strictly instructed Adrian to continue his studies even during his leave from St. Joan's so that he doesn't lag behind when he returned after two weeks and Audré had taken the charges of overlooking her grandson's education happily. Together they had written ten different spellings, recited two poems and now Adrian was sharpening his reading skills by reading aloud one of his favourite story books.

Audré was giving her fullest possible attention to him as the little boy's grey eyes scanned the contents of the pages and started to read again:

"One day Miffy went to a gallery."

"She enjoyed looking at all the works of art." He read and patted Peter sitting beside him, "Look Peter, Miffy went to a gallery." He showed the illustration to his pet rabbit who simply gave an indignant purr as to what the hell a gallery could be.

Audré shook her head and beat down a laugh at the rabbit's reaction. Adrian meanwhile was completely oblivious to his pet's behaviour.

"She liked the different shapes she saw." He read and looked at the picture which showed three yellow stars, a red ball and a blue half-moon, "Look grandma Audré!" he pointed at the picture and drew Audré's attention, "This was the first picture I drew."

"How wonderful!" Audré exclaimed and planted a kiss on Adrian's rosy cheeks in reward. She had already given him enough kisses for a whole week but somehow the boy's innocent manners made her want to give him more.

"Miffy and mother bunny looked at pictures together. Some pictures make things look different." Adrian turned a new page and read aloud; he seemed completely resistant to the shower of affections he was receiving from the ladies, "Look Peter, this is Miffy and this is Miffy's Mama." He showed the picture to his pet again. Audré was curious to see the animal's reaction and to her surprise the rabbit turned his beaded eyes to the picture Adrian was showing him and rubbed his tiny nose against it. That reaction made Adrian happy and he rewarded his rabbit with some hay, which it took and chewed happily.

"Miffy had never seen a blue sun before." Adrian returned to his reading once again, "Miffy likes apples. She was very happy when she found a painting of one. It was bright red." He stopped and examined the picture of the apple before commenting, "That apple should be little less round." He said knowledgably, "This way it looks a red ball not a red apple." He added.

Audré was silent and let the boy continue his talks and reading. It was more fun to watch him that way.

"On the way home Miffy kept thinking of all the won…" he paused at the difficult spelling, "Wonderful" Audré corrected him instantly looking up at the book, "Yes, …. Wonderful pieces of art she had seen." Adrian continued again his little index finger running between lines as he read, "At home Miffy found some crayons. They were green, yellow, red and blue. Then she found some paper and made a picture. First she drew some circles: yellow for the sun, green for a tree and blue – what a surprise! For buttons." He stopped and showed the picture of the button to Peter who was chewing his hay greedily, "Look Peter, the blue buttons are like blue your blue coat." He said happily.

The rabbit paid no heed to the discussion of the blue buttons and henceforth continued devouring his meal.

"Then she drew squares and tri…." Adrian stammered again paused, "Triangles, my love." Audré corrected him again looking at the text and Adrian nodded in response, "Triangles." He repeated after Audré, "They looked just like her toy building blocks. Next Miffy made a yellow picture. It made her feel happy."

"So how are my little rabbits doing today?" Hermione's voice came from the doorway and both Adrian and Audré turned at her direction.

"Mama!" Adrian exclaimed happily at the sight of his tired looking mother who was holding her Gringotts robes and a small parcel in her right hand, "What have you brought for me?" he asked eyeing the package curiously.

Hermione laughed and threw her robe on their bed, "Who said I brought it for you?" she asked mockingly, "I brought it for myself and aunt Gaby." She said with a shrug.

Audré couldn't help but laugh at the little display of game between mother and son before her. She knew Hermione or any mother like her would never touch a morsel of food unless her child was fed first but the way Hermione was playing with her son was very amusing.

"I know you brought it for me, Mama." Adrian pouted his lips at his mother, "I have been a good boy all day. Grandma Audré, tell Mama that I was a good boy and I completed my studies." he pledged to Audré who immediately stood up to defend the honour of her little grandson.

"Of course, Jean, Adrian had been the most charming, wonderful, adorable, good little boy imaginable." She used a long list of adjectives to emphasize her point and Adrian swelled his small chest in conjunction.

"Okay then, Mama will give his most charming, wonderful, adorable, good little rabbit the thing she had brought for him." Hermione used the same adjectives as Audré and placed the small parcel before her son with a flourish.

Audré watched with fascination as Adrian immediately attacked it with his one hand as if no force in the world could stop him from doing so and opened the parcel in a few seconds, "Chocolate Truffles!" he exclaimed his grey almond shaped eyes shining in joy, "I love Chocolate Truffles!" he declared happily.

Hermione bent down and kissed his little son's cheek tenderly, "Mama knows that her little rabbit loves Chocolate Truffles." She said stroking Adrian's cheek affectionately, "But don't give it to Peter. Hm? Chocolate is not good for rabbit's stomach." She warned him, "Now why don't you go and share it with Aunts Gaby and Lillian in Gabrielle's room?" she offered with a smile.

There was something in her smile that immediately alerted Audré's senses.

She watched as Adrian climbed down on a chair and hopped on the floor before leaving the room happily with his Chocolate Truffles and Peter.

Her suspicions became true when Hermione closed the door, locked with a spell and then cast an Imperturbable Charm on it so as to prevent anyone from overhearing their conversation. Audré noticed that all the while her posture was tense and her earlier happiness was completely gone.

She waited patiently for Hermione to speak as she slumped on the bed and rubbed her face wearily.

"The pureblood bastard is stalking me." Hermione stated after sometime.

Every nerve in Audré's body became taut as soon as the statement reached her brain, "How do you know that?" she asked sharply.

"I saw him." Hermione replied, her face hidden behind one hand, "The German Chief Curse Breaker Günther Amadeus is visiting French Gringotts and he would be staying here for a week. Today we talked about cursed diamonds and at lunch time he offered to take me to lunch. I accepted and we went for a simple lunch in one of the restaurants at Ruelle les Halles. No sooner have we taken seats he… the bastard was standing before us and sneering at me." Audré noticed Hermione's voice was shaking as she recounted the event, "He even called me 'dear wife'! Can you believe that, aunt Audré?" she asked incredulously finally looking up at her from behind her hand, "Do you what he did next? He took the seat just beside me and continued sitting there with us till the end." Hermione said with a grimace.

Audré was silent as she digested the new piece of information. Draco had told her that he would try to seek Jean's forgiveness; but if this was his idea of seeking forgiveness then he was clearly mistaken and Audré was not going to sit with hands on hands and watch.

She left her chair and walked over to Hermione to sit beside her on the bed. The woman beside looked tired both physically and mentally.

"Jean, you are tired now. Let's talk about this later." She said placing a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulder, "Draco has clearly crossed his limits and he needs to be taught a little lesson. But you, my dear, don't burden your soul with his thoughts. I am here and I'll take care of him." She said in a soothing voice.

Hermione nodded and closed her eyes, tears trickling down her cheek, "You are tight aunt Audré, I am tired." She said in a defeated voice, "I am sick of this life and the games it is playing with me. I am tired of the monopoly the Malfoys have over my life and Adrian. I declare it now, clear and loud – Hermione Jean Granger, you are tired." She said to herself loudly and opened her eyes, "Do you have any idea, aunt what I went through when he tortured me like that?" she turned her tearful gaze at Audré, "Do you know that I still feel his … thing inside me when I see him?" she asked, her face contorted pain, "Do you know that how brutally he beat me before he took my innocence? It was as if I was some kind of wild animal! As if being a Muggleborn was such a huge crime that I was fit for nothing except for being beaten and …. violated on a cold dungeon floor! It was humiliating beyond any kind of description. It was so painful that no word could ever express. It was…. " she broke midsentence and started crying earnestly.

Every nerve in Audré's body was numb with pain and anger as Hermione cried hard and slumped her head on Audré's chest before clutching on her blouse tightly with a shaking hand. The emotion was so overwhelming that she couldn't speak for a long time.

"It was during the war and we were at a run. You can't imagine how difficult it is to hide when everyone is after your blood; especially if you are Harry Potter's friends. I was more special because I am a Muggleborn. The ministry even opened a 'Muggleborn Registration Commission' to track down 'filths' like us. I saw it when we visited the Ministry for a special locket." Hermione choked over her tears and started again, talking against Audré's bosom, "We saw the tortures those Death Eaters were inflicting on everyone and the only way to stop it was finishing Voldemort once and for all." She said sniffing audibly, "Harry, Ron and I were more concerned with Voldemort than anything else and I was trying to forget that humiliation so badly that I didn't pay attention to myself. I didn't even notice that I have missed periods for two monthes. When it finally came to my head, my first thought was maybe it was because of stress and malnutrition that we all went through during our hiding. It was Fleur who suggested me to do a pregnancy check and….." she stopped and rubbed her eyes, "…. and it came out positive."

Audré stroked Hermione's hair silently and let her continue feeling that speaking up her mind would somehow relieve her internal pains.

"You don't know how it felt when I realized that I carrying a child when I was no older a child myself. It destroyed all my dreams – the dreams of my career in the Ministry or at Hogwarts, the dreams of my life with the man I loved - Ron and my friends- Harry, Luna, Neville. It destroyed everything. I couldn't even go and seek justice because the post–war Ministry was in complete mayhem. Everyplace was infiltrated with Voldemort's supporters – visible and invisible. The Wizengamot was also full of his silent supporters and I was sure that should I sue a case against Draco Malfoy, his family would buy the justice with their filthy gold saying that their precious son was under Imperius or that Dark Lord had threatened to kill him should he not violate me first. It would not be difficult for them to sum up good number of alibis since Voldemort was using their wretched manor as a base at that time and in no time Draco Malfoy would be declared not guilty for his crime. On the other hand my innocent child would be subjected to taunts of being a bastard half-blood Malfoy for the rest of his life; that too if he survived first, because I am pretty sure Lucius Malfoy would have killed him in the first place."

Knowing Lucius Malfoy for last thirty years, Audré couldn't agree more with Hermione.

"So I sacrificed the idea of justice and decided to save the innocent life that was growing inside me. I first planned to go to Australia, where my parents are still living but when Fleur told me that seeing me tortured and with a child would hurt them immensely, so I decided to keep them away from my own sufferings. I took Fleur's offer to come and live with her family in France. Imagine aunt Audré, I was only nineteen then, with a child and in a foreign country with a completely unknown family." Hermione sniffed and wiped her tears, "I enrolled myself in Beauxbatons, continued my studies there while I was heavily pregnant and gave birth to Adrian in the middle of my winter term."

Audré gave Hermione a feeble smile, her heart heavily aching with sorrow and grief for the young mother's sufferings.

"You have no idea what sort of pains I had to endure throughout my pregnancy. That blasted Cruciatus was coursing through my veins and it crippled me sometimes. But I couldn't even take proper Pain Relievers for the fear of hurting the child growing inside me. I have read books on it and most of the strong pain killers had teratogenic effects on the child meaning the baby will have some sort of physical disfigurations when he is born. They can even be mentally retarded. So I again sacrificed my own physical well-being and tolerated the occasional attack of excruciating pains. Most of them occurred at night and I would lie down, clench my teeth and wait for it to pass, all the while praying that my child remains safe inside me." Hermione's eyes were shining with tears when she looked up at Audré and somehow Audré noticed that she was crying with her in unison, "When I was at Beauxbatons most of the mornings I couldn't eat anything at all. But I forced myself to eat because Adrian needed food to grow up. I couldn't walk without being breathless first but I walked to reach my classes because I wanted to finish my graduation with the regular batches so that I can get a decent job. I couldn't study properly sometimes without wincing in pain when Adrian kicked inside me but I finished my homeworks nonetheless because I didn't want to use my pregnancy as an excuse for unfinished homeworks. I tortured my body aunt, I tortured myself so as not to be pitied and so that I can give my child a decent and respectful life. I didn't even date anyone for six long years until Alexis came in. I was fearful that any man I dated would not be good and kind enough with my son and discarded any idea of romantic involvement with anyone. I made a life around Adrian and I was happy with him until….that bastard came in again and took away everything." Hermione was crying again her face buried in Audré's chest.

Audré had known only other occasion when she had cried like that; like she was crying now with Hermione – the day her mother died she was a mere child of ten. The grief and helplessness Hermione was emanating through her words were shaking her to the core of her very existence and tears were simply leaked down her cheek to join Hermione's as she sobbed.

"What have I done to deserve this life aunt? What is my fault? That I am a filthy little Mudblood? That my father is not a rich pureblood? That I don't have Gringotts vaults full of golds and galleons? That I defied Voldemort and his followers and fought for the truth? That I didn't kneel down before Malfoy and purebloods like him? That I dreamt for a better world? Or that I kept an innocent child alive inside me instead of killing him because his father violated me? What is my fault, aunt, what is my fault?" Hermione's chest heaved as she broke into tears finally.

Audré had no answers for the questions the crying woman asked her. She had no words at all. She felt like she was slipping into one of those nightmares where a person can see, feel, hear but can't speak.

"Tell me, aunt what is my fault?" Hermione urged again and pounded helplessly against Audré's chest feebly with one hand.

Audré grabbed her hand and kissed it gently, her vision blurred with tears now, "You have no faults my dear child, you are innocent." She said finally regaining her voice, "You are innocent, Jean. Even with all that happened to you, my dear, you are still innocent. Draco never succeeded in robbing you off your innocence. Never." She declared fervently recovering her earlier self, "You passed your innocence to Adrian that day and protected him from all harms that the Malfoy blood can produce. That is the very reason why Adrian behaves more like his mother though he looks completely like his father. You have protected him with your innocence, your love and your sacrifices. You have protected him from being a true Malfoy, Jean. And I promise to you, my dear, that no matter what happens, me and my family will never leave you or let any harm befall upon you." She said firmly.

"What more harm is there to befall upon me, aunt?" Hermione asked, her voice tired as her head slipped on Audré's lap, "I am married to my violator. I lost the man I loved and we are being forced to live with the perpetrator. What else can happen to us now? The worst is already here. Do you know Fleur doesn't even know that I am married to Draco Malfoy now? She is expecting her second child and mother Apolline didn't tell her about me because it will distress her so much that she might lose the child." She said turning sideways and closing her eyes. "I am tired now, aunt. I am tired of losing those I love, hiding from Malfoys, fighting my fears for him. I am tired of lying to friends about this cursed marriage. I am tired of waking up from sleep after a nightmare. I am very tired…I am very tired….. I just want to sleep in my Mum's lap and wake up….wake up to see that I am eleven again….that I can start over my life….that I can be what I want to be….that I can marry the man I love, be it Ron or Alexis…." She trailed off and stirred feebly on Audré's lap.

Audré stroked Hermione's hair as she talked to herself and slowly drifted into sleep.

"Narcissa Malfoy gave me a brooch on Saturday saying that she wanted to express gratitude… because I saved her bigot son from dying during the battle of Hogwarts…I just went to her suite to return her the potion she sent through you….. I told her that I don't want it or her generosity….. but she said it was a gift from one mother to another mother…..so I accepted it like a fool….I don't need it anymore, aunt Audré…..I would rather suffer from nightmares than take something she made….she is Draco Malfoy's mother….and I don't want anything that has Malfoy name on it…..it is on the kitchen cabinet downstairs aunt….please take it and give it back to her…..tell her that I don't need it anymore…the brooch is in the drawer in the closet…..take that too and throw it on her face….."

"I'll take the potion back to her, dear Jean, if that is what you wish but I won't take back the brooch. Not because Narcissa gave it to you." Audré said gently caressing Hermione's cheek now, who curled up on bed with her head on Audré's lap, "It is a Geccemp. Something that your goblin boss has made and I don't think you should have any problem in keeping something that the amiable boss of yours created."

"Geccemp made it?" Hermione asked her softly, "Then I'll keep it. Geccemp had always been very kind to me." She said sleepily.

"Go to sleep dear, I promise you won't suffer from nightmares tonight." Audré pledged and gently ran his fingers through Hermione's brown curls.

"Hmmm…. I want to sleep…I want …to…..sleep….mum…" Hermione's breathing became heavier and Audré closed her eyes to summon her magic that she would voice through her lullaby.

She had used it on Draco when she found out that he couldn't sleep from Astoria and Scorpius's memories; she had used it on her husband when he couldn't sleep from active night terrors; she had used it on her children when they would wake up from a nightmare; now she would summon her inner magic and pour her soul in the words that made the Muggle song a magical lullaby, one that never failed her:

Precious baby, sweetly sleep
Sleep in peace
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep
I will rock you, rock you, rock you
I will rock you, rock you, rock you
Close your eyes my darling one
'Til the new day has begun
I will rock you, rock you, rock you
I will rock you, rock you, rock you
Sleep in peace 'til day has come
Darling, darling, little one!

Every single word that escaped her lips was blessed with the magic she imbibed in them.

'Let Jean sleep in peace….let Jean sleep in peace…..let Jean sleep in peace…..' she chanted inher mind and sang the song until finally Hermione was in deep sleep.

Audré summoned a pillow and placed it under the tired woman's head before carefully getting up from the bed. Then she unlocked the door and proceeded to leave the room only to find Adrian standing on the threshold, staring at her with wide grey eyes.

"Why is Mama sleeping?" he asked peeping inside their bedroom and noticing Hermione's sleeping form on their bed.

Audré knelt down before the small boy, "Mama is tired, dear Adrian." she said earnestly, "Don't disturb her now." she warned him.

"Can I give her a kiss?" Adrian asked eyeing his mother, "I won't disturb her." He promised.

Audré nodded and watched as Adrian entered their room silently, walked over to his sleeping mother and placed a very tender kiss in her cheek. He came back immediately, careful not to wake up Hermione.

"Mama's cheek was wet." He whispered to Audré as she closed the door of their room, "Mama was crying. I know she cries sometimes." He commented honestly and unable control herself, Audré took the little boy in her arms.

"How do you know that?" she asked, astonished at the child's observation power.

"I know. I have seen Mama." Adrian said, his grey eyes full of uncensored sadness, "Mama even cried in our bathroom once before we went to Brussels. I saw her when grandma Apolline took her out. She was wet and shaking from cold. Grandma didn't tell me why Mama cried like that. It took her some time to calm down and then we went to bed early that night. I think Mama is sad about her Mama and Papa. They live in Australia, you know." He said knowledgably.

Audré preferred not to comment on that and took the boy to the next bedroom where Gabrielle and Lillian were chatting animatedly.

"Lillian, Gabrielle, Jean is tired and sleeping right now." she addressed the young ladies who immediately turned their attention to Audré, "Please take care of Adrian and make sure he takes his dinner and all his medicinal potions." She instructed them who nodded, "I need to straighten up some facts with someone." She said to their questioning look.

Draco was going to pay dearly for his little fun trip.

•••••

The door of Draco's suite burst open and he strode in purposefully.

The fateful encounter with his wife in the restaurant had opened some new windows in his thoughts regarding her and Draco had apparated right away to his uncle's Château to verify his suspicions.

He passed the sitting room, leaving his book bag on the floor and entered his bedroom, aiming for the elaborately curved iron safe where he kept all his important documents under a good Locking Spell.

Upon opening it with the appropriate counter incantation, his pale, long fingered hands reached inside and after a moment's fumbling he found what he was looking for: the inventory of his Gringotts vault in France.

He unrolled the parchment once again and scanned it's contents; only this time he didn't pay notice to the actual items, rather the writing.

The neat small curved writing that described each item now looked vaguely familiar and he knew to whom they belonged – Gringotts Chief Curse Breaker Hermione Jean Granger: the person, who most probably curse broke his vault and most definitely made this inventory.

He racked his brain for any memory that might involve Gringotts Britain goblin Gobtok informing him specifically about who would curse break his vault but found none. The only thing he could remember was Gobtok telling him that the key to their vault had been handed to the French Head Goblin Geccemp who had given it to his best Curse Breaker.

'That must be Granger!' Draco thought and placed the parchment on his reading table before smoothing it to closely scrutinize the writing and the details.

'Only the Curse Breakers can know such details about our vault.' He murmured softly, reading the list.

There was no doubt in his mind that Hermione Granger had Curse Broken the Malfoy family vault.

With that realization came the memory of the day he had received that inventory. He remembered asking the French Head Goblin whether or not the Chief Curse Breaker was a pureblood.

Unnoticed by even himself, Draco bit his tongue when it dawned upon him that what a horrible blunder it might have sounded to those who were present with him at that day, notably his cousin Julian. There was no doubt in his mind as to why his cousins treated him cautiously when it came to the issue of blood status: they knew and believed that he, Draco Malfoy was a spoiled bigot.

Draco stood motionless, considering the irony of it all: the Muggleborn witch he had taunted, despised and violated had curse broken his pureblood family vault.

Until now Draco had striven to prove that he believed in the pureblood dogma that was passed to him by his parents. He had even looked down upon those who didn't share his beliefs. But today, almost a week after Hermione Granger had injured herself for their son Adrian, it had lost it's remaining appeal.

Draco loosened his neck tie and lied down on his bed, still fully dressed as his contemplated over the events of the past one month.

Hermione Granger knew that he was in Paris. She had curse broken his vault.

Then why didn't she marry Alexis Delacour right away?

Did she think that he would never come to know about his son?

Well that had been a wrong speculation since he did discover his only living son.

Did she think that she should better fool around with the Delacour boy for a bit long and enjoy her freedom too?

But Hermione Granger was not that type of woman – this much he was sure about. Besides, Alexis Delacour hadn't accompanied her and Adrian to Brussels. She hadn't even mentioned him once during the conversations he had overheard under Disillusionment Charm.

That brought him to one plain conclusion: Alexis Delacour had proposed her after she came back from Brussels.

And she had accepted it!

Draco was suddenly feeling extremely annoyed.

He took off his tie and reached for the old fashioned radio that he kept on his nightstand. The listening device had been transfigured to it for safety measures and he had even added a recording option to listen to the relayed conversation when he came back from Sorbonne. He turned on the knob and waited as the magical listening device was guaranteed to convey to him what was happening inside the Fideliused quarter.'

Adrian's tender sweet voice filled his room and Draco listened to it, running his finger over the radio, as if it was his little son.

""One day Miffy went to a gallery."

"She enjoyed looking at all the works of art."

Draco would bet his right arm that his son was reading the story from his books and there were high probability that his rabbit was sitting beside him too.

Surely enough his son showed the pet rabbit an illustration from the book he was reading.

Draco was sure that he would buy all the Miffy, Piffy, Siffy, Riffy, Kiffy and all the other 'iffy's in the world for his son just to listen to his enchanting voice for the rest of his life.

He turned sideways, placed his head on his arm and carefully listened to the story.

'Miffy is one hell of a lucky rabbit!' he thought, melancholic at the idea that his son loved Miffy more than he loved his father, and sighed.

Draco closed his eyes and pictured his son in his mind.

'Adrian was sitting on a table, cross legged like he did always, holding his book in one hand and talking to his rabbit occasionally in between his reading.'

Even in his mind Draco admired the adorable sight.

His five and a half year son was definitely the most innocent being alive to walk on this planet. Everything about him was pure and praiseworthy – his looks, manners, behaviour, skills, character – every single trait.

And his smell. That peach and honeysuckle.

Draco's hand automatically reached for the small white shirt he always carried in his pocket with him wherever he went. He had shrunken it so as to carry it easily and put a Stasis Spell on it to preserve his son's enticing smell.

He brought to his nose and inhaled deeply.

'My son! My Adrian!'

'You have no idea how much your father loves you!'

In his musings Draco didn't notice when Hermione's voice joined his son and aunt Audré's. he hardly paid attention to their conversation which encompassed around some chocolate truffles. Then Hermione said something to his aunt and Draco was suddenly alert.

"The pureblood bastard is stalking me."

"How do you know that?" his aunt Audré asked sharply.

"I saw him." Hermione's voice replied, "The German Chief Curse Breaker Günther Amadeus is visiting French Gringotts and he would be staying here for a week. Today we talked about cursed diamonds and at lunch time he offered to take me to lunch. I accepted and we went for a simple lunch in one of the restaurants at Ruelle les Halles. No sooner have we taken seats he… the bastard was standing before us and sneering at me. He even called me 'dear wife'! Can you believe that, aunt Audré? Do you what he did next? He took the seat just beside me and continued sitting there with us till the end."

"Jean, you are tired now. Let's talk about this later." Audré's voice said from radio, "Draco has clearly crossed his limits and he needs to be taught a little lesson. But you, my dear, don't burden your soul with his thoughts. I am here and I'll take care of him." She said in a soothing voice and Draco involuntarily shuddered.

'Damn! Damn! Damn!' he cursed under breath, stood up and started pacing his room.

What an absolute fool he had been! In his fit of rage he had completely forgotten that Hermione would inform about it to his aunt.

'Now you did it, didn't you Draco Slytherin Malfoy?' he asked himself sarcastically, 'Even a first year Hufflepuff would be smart enough to have foreseen that. I have a lunch with Apolline Delacour tomorrow and all I need now is aunt Audré coming to my room and calling it off.' He thought angrily.

But his anger was suddenly replaced by pure horror when Hermione's next words hit him.

"You are tight aunt Audré, I am tired." She said in a defeated voice, "I am sick of this life and the games it is playing with me. I am tired of the monopoly the Malfoys have over my life and Adrian. I declare it now, clear and loud – Hermione Jean Granger, you are tired."

"Do you have any idea, aunt what I went through when he tortured me like that?"

"Do you know that I still feel his … thing inside me when I see him?"

"Do you know that how brutally he beat me before he took my innocence?"

"It was as if I was some kind of wild animal! As if being a Muggleborn was such a huge crime that I was fit for nothing except for being beaten and …. violated on a cold dungeon floor! It was humiliating beyond any kind of description. It was so painful that no word could ever express. It was…. "

Draco stood there, transfixed and listened as she broke into tears. But it was nothing compared to what he heard next:

"We saw the tortures those Death Eaters were inflicting on everyone and the only way to stop it was finishing Voldemort once and for all. Harry, Ron and I were more concerned with Voldemort than anything else and I was trying to forget that humiliation so badly that I didn't pay attention to myself. I didn't even notice that I have missed periods for two monthes. When it finally came to my head, my first thought was maybe it was because of stress and malnutrition that we all went through during our hiding. It was Fleur who suggested me to do a pregnancy check and….."

"…. and it came out positive."

Draco closed his eyes in horror.

Knowing his father Lucius Malfoy, Draco was sure he would have killed Adrian. As for using Imperius curse to prove him not guilty he was certain that it would have been done too since his family used the same excuse after Dark Lord's first downfall: that they had been under Imperius.

Draco didn't know whether he could feel, smell, talk, see or use any of his senses anymore. He was so overwhelmed that all he could register about his senses was that he still capable of hearing.

Hermione was crying again.

"What have I done to deserve this life aunt? What is my fault? That I am a filthy little Mudblood? That my father is not a rich pureblood? That I don't have Gringotts vault full of gold and galleons? That I defied Voldemort and his followers and fought for the truth? That I didn't kneel down before Malfoy and purebloods like him? That I dreamt for a better world? Or that I kept an innocent child alive inside me instead of killing him because his father violated me? What is my fault, aunt, what is fault?"

Unable to listen anymore Draco simply moved woodenly to his bathroom and opened to door with a trembling hand.

Then he was suddenly standing before the mirror.

The reflection that looked back at him was paler than a ghost.

Then it shifted before his eyes and another person appeared: an arrogant man with a cruel smirk across his handsome face.

"Feeling sorry, are we Draco Malfoy?" he mocked Draco, "But she was a good play. I guess you enjoyed her body immensely." He said with a wicked grin.

Before he knew what had happened, Draco hit the mirror barehanded and smashed it into tiny pieces, it's sharp shards creating deep gashes into his already bandaged hand.

"I hate you." He said through gritted teeth, "I hate you." He hissed.

'I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.' Draco continued chanting it in inside his head and kept hitting the broken mirror, completely ignoring the sharp pain that was shooting from his bloodied hand.

•••••

Audré looked at the names on the list. The first name would be her first target.

She had left a peacefully sleeping Hermione and a sober looking Adrian with Gabrielle and Lillian in their quarter. From there her destination had been Morpheus's study. Next it would be her nephew Draco's suite and then it would be Château d'If – the Wizarding prison.

Time had come for Draco to be left a warning for his deeds.

Her nephew's suite door was ajar when Audré reached there.

Upon entering she sensed a foreboding silence that wrapped the entire suite.

A tap was open in the bathroom and the sound of running water reached her cautious ears.

Without a seconds delay Audré approached it and found her nephew sitting on the edge of the marble bathtub, his face hidden behind his hands.

Blood was trickling from his already injured right hand and the bathroom mirror was smashed which littered the marble floor.

"Has the mirror offended you by any possible means?" Audré asked casually to her nephew who jerked his head up, "Here, let me see." She offered and took his bloodied hand, "It won't do good if you lose too much of your pure blood, Draco." She said before healing the cuts neatly with magic.

"It's my blood and therefore my decision whether or not I should shed it." Draco said before withdrawing his now fully healed hand, "Is there any reason you are here, aunt?" he asked her sourly.

"I was under the impression that you wanted to help me in my case against the Rochés." Audré replied lightly, watching as the broken shards flew back to join the mirror, "I am going to meet a very important person this evening. If you wish, you can come." She said and turned to leave.

She was on the threshold of the bathroom when her nephew asked her what she had been waiting for:

"Where?"

Feeling satisfied, Audré answered, "Château d'If."

A prolonged silence followed her declaration and then she heard her nephew stand up with a sigh.

"Please wait in my sitting room aunt Audré, while I wash my face and prepare for the journey."

Audré did as she was told and within fifteen minutes her nephew joined her in the sitting room, fully dressed in travelling cloak.

The Château-fortress in question was located on the island of 'If' about a mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille in southeastern France. When she apparated there with Draco, it was already night. The outline of the ominous fortress could be seen as a small dot from where they were standing near the deserted shoreline.

Draco had been silent throughout their journey.

"Anything troubling my dear nephew?" Audré enquired, scanning the foamy sea for the boat that would be taking them to the Wizarding prison.

Draco shook his head in response, preferring not to talk at this stage. Audré noticed that he looked decidedly lost in his thoughts.

'That's even better.' she thought smugly, 'That way my words will have deep impact on him.'

The boat that was supposed to take them to the Wizarding prison arrived with two heavily dressed wizard guards on board. Audré noticed that even in his lost state Draco helped his aunt to get on board and climbed into the boat after her.

The journey was exceptionally silent. Except for the occasional query of the French Wizarding prison guards on whom they wished to meet, there was no talk among the occupants of the boat which swayed sideways in rhythm with the tide of the sea underneath.

When they finally reached their destination, Audré was again helped by her nephew to climb up the cliff upon which the fortress was situated. The three storied, almost square Château was flanked on three sides by three large watch towers that were under the control of Dementors. With their formidable appearance and foul rotting smell, they cast an air of despair around them.

The wizards that were accompanying Audré immediately conjured their Patronuses and guided them through the Iron Gate that barred the opening of the actual fortress.

Remembering that her nephew was still inept at conjuring his own Patronus, Audré decided not to jibe him for that now. There were more pressing issues that needed to be dealt with.

"Visitors to meet 'Le Pasteur' have arrived." The guards announced to the jailor who was a tough looking burly man.

"This way please." The jailor said shortly, scrutinizing the lady and the young man and led them through the dimly lit stone corridor.

"I never thought that he would be allowed any visitors, Madame." The man commented after sometime as the turned a corner, "We have been instructed strictly on that; no visitors for Le Pasteur." He declared.

"I have official permission from the Minister himself. You can check it if you have any doubts." Audré said confidently keeping up with the man as they started descending a series of stone stairs.

The man however didn't show any signs of wanting to check the papers. Apparently he was satisfied about their identity and Audré was pleased with it.

After ten minutes of relentless walking, Audré and her nephew, who had been silent throughout the journey, were brought before a roughly hewn dungeon cell that stank heavily of sea weed.

"This is his cell." The jailor declared bitterly, "I'll be standing outside while you talk to him. He has been notified of your visit and warned adequately about the possible implications should he try to attack you or your companion." He informed them.

Audré gave the jailor a curt nod and proceeded to enter the now opened gate but found Draco barring her way.

"I'll go first, aunt." he said solemnly and without giving her a chance to protest entered the cell.

Feeling something was gravely wrong with her nephew's attitude this evening, Audré followed him silently into the cell that was lit by only one candle.

The man who was sitting on the haystack bed was almost cachectic. His emaciated hands were scratching his overgrown wild beard noisily.

"Enchante." He said in a voice that sounded raspy from prolonged disuse, "How can Le Pasteur help the honourable Madame Chombrun Malfoy?" he asked with a mock smile that was evident even in candle light.

Audré threw the morning of the newspaper she had brought from Château at the man who took it silently and leaned forward to scan the first page.

"Ah…. Newspaper. I have not seen one in many years." He said longingly.

Audré observed his face and with immense satisfaction noted that his features turned hard when he noticed Augustus Rochés's enlarged photo on the front page.

"Rochés has been arrested? In 'attempt to murder' charges?" he asked her, reading the news hungrily.

"You read the news correctly." Audré replied, "I am pleased that years of confinement has not robbed you off your reading ability." She remarked.

The man didn't comment on her jibe. He completed reading the news, scanned other pages and looked up at them.

"What do you want from me?" he asked Audré calmly.

"Please sit down, aunt." Audré heard Draco requesting her, pointing at a pair of chairs he had conjured. She took one without protest and turned her eyes to the prisoner who was eyeing Draco's wand intensely.

"You know what I want Le Pasteur. It was clearly written on that news that I will be fighting the trial against the Rochés on behalf of the ministry and you being the right hand man of Rochés before he put you into this jail surely assessed why I am here." She said evenly.

"You want information on him." Pasteur stated with an indignant smirk, "But why should I give you that? You and your Order were my enemy too and I am pretty sure you rejoiced when I was arrested and thrown into this prison." He said bitterly, "What happened all of a sudden that you changed your strategy? Why do you need Le Pasteur now?" he asked maliciously.

Audré lifted her chin in indignation and cast the man before her a very smug look, "You are wrong Pasteur." She said, "Audré Chombrun Malfoy was not born to need something from the likes of you." She said proudly, "It is you who need me, Pasteur. Because very soon Rochés followers will know that you can impose threat on their master and they will kill you inside this dark prison. Don't delude yourself thinking that you are safe here. What if one of the Dementors sneaked inside and performed a secret Kiss?" she asked with a smirk, "So you would better think it twice before you turn down my offer." With that she stood up and proceeded to leave the cell.

"Very well." Le Pasteur called from behind and Audré turned, "I will consider your offer. But before that I need certain arrangements as a proof that you can be trusted." He said loftily.

"How about a nice death bed?" Audré offered sarcastically.

"I want better food, a personal loo and a fireplace in my cell." Pasteur said unabashedly, "If I am to help the minister, the minister is to help me too." he arched an eyebrow.

"I'll notify the ministry about it and see what they can do, Pasteur. Until then, save your soul from the Dementors." Audré said arrogantly and finally left the cell with Draco in tow.

Once again they were led to the main entrance by the jailor who seemed quite satisfied with way Audré had handled their prisoner. Upon reaching the entrance Audré stopped her silent nephew from proceeding any further.

He gave her a surprised look, silently asking why she had prevented him from going out of the fortress.

"Did you like the cell Pasteur was living in, Draco?" Audré finally delivered the shell she was holding back, "I guess it will be small for you but it will do for the time being." She mocked.

"Care to explain what you are talking about aunt?" Draco asked her coldly.

"I don't think you need any explanation, dear nephew." Audré gave him a sickly sweet smile, all the while eyeing the guards who were waiting to take them outside to their boat, "I will simply charge you with violence against your wife and that is enough to earn you a good ten years here. But the irony is that the ministry will pass Adrian's guardianship to his godparents in that case and the boy will be doomed for the rest of the life, away from his mother." She said albeit sadly, "Stalk Hermione Jean Granger again, Draco Lucius Malfoy and I swear you will be in big trouble." She said fiercely.

Draco was silent.

Audré motioned the guards that they were ready to leave now and the guards complied immediately as they guided them again through the watch towers and onto the waiting boat.

Her nephew didn't speak throughout their journey by boat. When he finally opened his mouth, they had reached the shores safely.

"She loves Alexis Delacour." Draco declared.

"So what?" Audré shrugged, "That doesn't give you the rights to follow her."

"I wasn't following her, aunt." Draco said solemnly, "I was at Les Halles with one of my classmates when I saw her with a stranger. So I thought I should investigate the matter."

"Or better say that you were checking whether she was with Alexis Delacour?" Audré corrected him, "If you are really jealous about that Draco, I suggest that you be a man first and then approach her." She said poking Draco's chest with a finger, "And for that you need her forgiveness which you so rightfully declared that you will obtain just last Thursday. Or have you forgotten it already?" she asked mischievously.

"No," Draco replied calmly, "I am currently working on it. I have a lunch with Apolline Delacour tomorrow."

"Big deal!" Audré mocked him, "Let's see if you come out alive after you meet her." She added.

"Aunt, I still have until Friday." Her nephew reminded her.

"So you have dear nephew and pray that you really succeed by then." Audré said before she grabbed Draco's hand for them to apparate back to their Château.

Her nephew silently left for his room once they apparated inside the protective perimeters. Audré kept observing his retreating form and a small smile appeared in her lips.

'This is going to be interesting watching Draco die trying.'

Because neither Hermione nor Apolline was going to give up so easily.

•••••

The day had been long for Draco.

First his class in Sorbonne. Then his encounter with Hermione in Les Halles followed by the conversation he had overheard through the listening device. Lastly, his trip to Château d'If which ended with his aunt's threat.

But somehow he didn't feel tired at all. On the contrary he was more amped than usual.

The night time broom ride through the extensive grounds of his uncle's Château was being very helpful. It was helping him to think over the matter more fully.

If previously he had thought that he knew nothing about his son, it was nothing compared to the feeling he was having now.

He knew 'absolutely' nothing about his wife too.

He didn't know that she was the Gringotts Chief Curse Breaker.

Most importantly he didn't even know how his only living son was born.

The lack of knowledge on his part was making him a complete stranger to them.

He knew nothing, knows nothing and there was very little chance that he will know anything substantial should he not take crucial steps now.

He had planned on his lunch with Apolline to be a way to close the gaps. But now it seemed that he should consider it under different lights.

Light conversation was not his cup of tea anymore.

Draco sped up his broom and passed through one of the loops erected on the private Quidditch pitch.

There was only one way forward.

And he would tread it no matter what happened.

•••••

Hermione woke up feeling very calm and well rested on Tuesday morning.

Memories of previous evening flooded her immediately and she suddenly felt ashamed for breaking down like that before Audré Chombrun Malfoy.

She had promised her of a nightmare free sleep and sang her a lullaby which miraculously had done it's intended job.

She had not slept like this for a very long time.

Renewed with vigour and determination Hermione left her bed after glancing at her sleeping son.

As always the balcony was quiet and peaceful aside from the new occupant, her pet dove Gwyn who was cooing.

Hermione reached forward and took the white bird in her hand. It cooed softly at her.

"Coooo….cooooo….." she mimicked the bird happily, "You are so cute Gwyn." She said fondly.

She stroked it's plumage delicately, "Do you want more safflower seeds, Gwyn?" she asked her bird noticing her flat perch, "I am sorry that I can't give you much attention. You must be missing your friends at dovecote." She said apologetically.

Feeling that she could do with an early morning walk with her dove, Hermione left the bedroom and soon started for the path that would led her to the dovecote.

Her inner peace was helping her make up her mind over one issue that had disturbed her immensely the previous evening.

She was going to hex Draco Malfoy into oblivion should he try to follow her again.

•••••

When Draco came out from his lecture class on International Business Law on Tuesday afternoon his head was full of thoughts and speculations on his upcoming lunch with Apolline Delacour. The conversation he had overheard the previous evening was occupying a large part of his mind and he was weighing his chances against the Delacour matriarch now.

'Will she agree to give me what I want?' he asked himself for the thousandth time and walked towards the staircase that would lead him to the Wizarding part of the campus.

His mind whirling with numerous possibilities as to where their conversation could go wrong and what should be his attitude towards the woman he would be meeting in two hours, Draco settled down under the willow tree he was partial to and leaned against the trunk.

'She won't give it to me.'

'I will offer her anything in return.'

'Apolline Delacour isn't just anybody. I can't buy her with money.'

'I have rights to get them, I am Adrian's father.'

'That is not going to be a pretty convincing excuse for her.'

Someone threw a roll of parchment on his lap and startled, Draco looked down at it.

"Still brooding over how to convince your wife? Or is it her mother this time?" Dominique's carefree voice asked him as he settled down beside him and arched an eyebrow at his direction.

Draco was astonished at Dominique's inborn ability to guess what was going on his mind every time they had met in past few days. The man was intelligent, sported good sense of humour and could device small but effective plans – the ideal criteria of a good Slytherin. He was sure had Dominique been a Hogwarts student, he would have ended in the House of Salazar Slytherin.

"What made you think I would be thinking about my mother-in-law?" Draco asked his classmate, slightly amazed that he addressed Apolline Delacour as his 'mother-in-law' without any hesitation at all.

"That means I was right on my observation, you were indeed thinking about her." Dominique proclaimed with a mischievous smile, "Well, mother-in-laws are tougher to handle when it comes to your wife or girlfriend, you know Draco. They constantly nag about their daughter's future, safety, clothes, jewelry, career, money, this and that and what not." He threw his hands in air in apparent irritation, "They are always bargaining like a pair of quarrelling cats over what will her daughter will get if she marries you."

Draco was strongly reminded of her ex-mother-in-law Mrs. Greengrass. She too liked to nag about Astoria though she knew that Draco was taking good care of his wife.

"Looks like you have plenty of pleasant experiences with your mother-in-law!" he commented on Dominique's apparent annoyance, "You didn't say you are married. Or are you having an extra-marital affair with the woman you call your girlfriend?" he winked at the man wickedly.

"Hm!" Dominique curled his lips, "I can barely manage to have one woman and you are talking about two! As if I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth like you were." He retorted and settled against the trunk of the willow tree, "I am not a wealthy man, Draco. My father is a shopkeeper and my mother is a school teacher. We don't have a fortune to spend on my education. Besides, I have two younger sisters to look after. So there is no way I can get married until I am well established. That's the reason I can't get married now." he said looking serious, "But fortunately my girlfriend understands my situation and supports me. But her mother is always telling her to choose another guy, someone with more money and stability. Someone who can provide her with all her needs. Not a half-blood half-bankrupt wizard like me." He said dejectedly.

"You are a half-blood?" Draco asked, his eyes almost popping out in surprise, "You are a half-blood?" he repeated.

Dominique frowned at him, "Why? Do you have any problem with half-bloods?" he asked back narrowing his eyes.

Draco didn't know why he shook his head, "No. Not anymore." He said after some time.

"Not anymore." Dominique quoted him, "That means you had problem with them once. Didn't you Draco Malfoy?" he asked sarcastically, "I know about you and your precious pureblood family. They were Dark Lord's followers, weren't they? Even in France, people know about your notorious family reputation. Don't think you are above others just because you have pure blood running through you veins and we don't." he said vehemently and looked away.

Draco didn't know what to say in response. The old Draco in him would have called the man a 'half-blood riffraff' and ridiculed him for chastising him, a pureblood wizard whose family had lived from tenth century. But another Draco inside him stopped that voice and he gave Dominique a simple nudge with his elbow.

"What's this?" he asked him casually unrolling the parchment Dominique had thrown on his lap earlier, "Quidditch try-out? Here? In Sorbonne?" he asked scanning the contents.

His companion looked back at him, looking both amused and irritated, "Did you even read the brochure on Sorbonne when you enrolled here or did you just walked into the interview board without any prior knowledge on the institution you will be studying?" he asked with a dubious look and snatched the roll of parchment from Draco.

Remembering his interview with the Principal which he actually faced with his aunt Audré, Draco preferred to ignore the jibe and scoffed at his companion, "What is so special about the brochure?" he asked back indignantly.

"Because it was clearly written on that 'special' brochure that Sorbonne has four Quidditch teams. One for each year of our four years Wizarding Law course. That means we have four teams and the parchment that you are holding is an announcement for tryouts for the first year students. So if you are interested you will present yourself on our Quidditch pitch on Friday evening for the post you wish to play." He said as if talking to a four year old and rolled up the parchment again.

"Me and tryout?" Draco asked, suddenly remembering his second year when he was selected as the Seeker of the Slytherin team without any tryout upon his father's generous donation of Nimbus 2001 to the entire Slytherin Quidditch team, "I have never been on a tryout." He said carefully avoiding saying that Malfoys never took part is petty things as tryout.

"You mean you never played Quidditch in your school?" Dominique asked him incredulously.

"Of course I have." Draco retorted firmly, "I was the Seeker of our Slytherin Quidditch team." He said loftily.

It was Dominique's turn to scoff, "Being a Seeker without tryout! That means you must have bought your way in the team." He sneered.

Something in that sentence shook Draco and instead of retorting back angrily he remained silent, trying to discern what it was. Then a female voice said inside his head:

'At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in,' said a twelve year old Hermione sharply, 'They got in on pure talent.'

'No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood!' his own twelve year old self spat.

Dominique waved a hand before his eyes and Draco was brought back from his reverie of the first day of their Quidditch practice way back in 1992, "What is it this time? Did someone else tell you about buying your way in?" he taunted him lightly.

Not knowing what to answer Draco rubbed his forehead wearily, "When is the tryout, you said?" he asked Dominique instead.

"Friday evening." Dominique replied observing him carefully, "Anything wrong Draco?" he asked noticing Draco's sudden graveness.

"Nothing….it's nothing." Draco lied smoothly and gave Dominique a confident smile, "So what happened with your girl friend? Did she like the lingerie you gave her?" he asked with a wicked grin.

"Did you really think I was going to give her a lingerie?" Dominique laughed loudly, as if amused by Draco's naïveté, "She will eat me alive if I do something like that." he said with a serious expression, "I would do that only if I want a painful slow death, Draco because no one dares to present Eva Bellamy with a pair of flimsy lingerie." He said mocking imminent death.

Draco blinked twice at Dominique, his brain suddenly frozen, "What is the name of your girlfriend?" he asked quietly, as if the person he was suspecting her to be would hear their conversation.

"Eva Bellamy." Dominique pronounced the name with evident pride and love, "She is really fierce, you know. But I love her that way. Makes her more attractive." He said with a naughty smile, "But her twin brother, an asinine animal lover by the name of Edmound is a complete let down in the name of men folk. The fool would spend hours after animals while his own sister is fiercer than a lioness and a tigress put together."

Remembering their first ever meeting in Tuileries garden when she had snatched Adrian and glared at him, Draco couldn't agree more with Dominique.

'Nice company the Gryffindor princess keeps!' he thought crossly and turned to Dominique.

"Have you told her about me?" he asked Dominique who silently shook his head.

Draco let out a breath of relief. "Listen Dominique, can you do me a favour?" he asked the man who looked lost in thoughts of his formidable girlfriend, "Please don't tell your girlfriend that you know me. Okay?"

Dominique's brows furrowed suspiciously and he gave Draco a questioning look.

"I promise I'll explain it later." Draco held out his hands in surrender, "But for now, just keep quiet about us." He urged Dominique who contemplated his offer and finally nodded curtly.

Feeling assured that his little secret was safe for the time being, Draco checked his wrist watch and noticed that it was quarter past one already.

He had only forty-five minutes before his lunch with Apolline Delacour who had asked him to be present at Eiffel Tower sharp at two o' clock.

Leaping to his feet Draco said a quick goodbye to a still frowning Dominique and hoisted his bag before starting for the apparition point.

He prayed solemnly for his lunch to go well.

Otherwise he would be forced to take extreme measures.

•••••

Gustave Eiffel's iconic wrought iron lattice tower of 1889 located on the Champ de Mars in Paris was Draco's destination for the afternoon and he arrived there precisely at two o' clock, just as he had been instructed by Apolline Delacour. The Delacour matriarch hadn't elaborated her plan for their lunch and feeling apprehensive Draco walked towards the south side of the 324m high imposing tower, carefully scrutinizing the faces of the passers' by for familiar face of Apolline Delacour.

To his surprise he found her quite easily standing at the foot of the tower just under a dark brown elaborated erected canopy that said 'Le Jules Verne'.

"Bonjour Madame Delacour." Draco greeted the elderly woman as soon as he reached her, "I believe I am not late." He enquired casually.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Draco Malfoy." Apolline greeted back "I believe you are familiar with Muggle lifts?" she asked with a smirk.

That certainly was not the question Draco was expecting in return of his pleasantries but he nodded curtly nonetheless. Making fool of himself over something as petty as Muggle lifts would not do at this stage and he followed Apolline silently who took him through a pair of beautifully decorated doors and then into a Muggle lift that Draco was sure she knew how to operate.

Sure enough when the lift door closed and opened to allow them into a restaurant Draco was convinced that for reasons unknown to him Apolline had chosen a Muggle restaurant for their lunch.

Save for them the place was completely deserted. Only a pair of Muggle waiters was standing in the doorway as if awaiting their arrival and they guided Draco and Apolline to a table that allowed them an unobstructed view of the south side of the Eiffel Tower.

Out of sheer politeness Draco drew a chair for Apolline and she took it with regal and confident air. Next he settled down opposite her with a calm and composed posture, something he wasn't feeling inside him and turned his to admire the view from top.

Before him lay the large public green place of Champ de Mars with occasional old fashioned three or four storied building on either side of the avenue.

"The view is spectacular." He commented lightly, noticing the picturesque greenery.

His companion however, didn't remark.

Feeling that they should start their conversation in some manner Draco straightened his head only to find Apolline Delacour giving him a very thorough look, as if trying to read his mind.

Without a moment's notice he put up his mental shields. There was no way he would let her use Legilimency on him!

"I am a skilled Occlumens, Madame Delacour." He said smugly and narrowed his grey eyes at her thinking that this might stop the little game she was playing.

Apolline didn't even blink when she replied, "I don't need to be a Legilimens to read what is in our mind, Monsieur. French women are born with very good observation power and one look from my part is enough to tell what is happening inside that Slytherin head of yours."

"Really?" Draco smirked, "Tell me then. What is happening inside this Slytherin head of mine?" he tapped his head and challenged.

It was Apolline's turn to smirk and she tilted her head before running her blue eyes over Draco's sitting arrogant form.

"You want something from me." She said slowly, "It is something very personal or precious or something that I most likely will not give you. But you want it anyway and will do anything to obtain it from me."

Draco was astonished at how Apolline had correctly guessed his motives but decided to remain impassive. He gave her a cold smile and tilted his head.

"You remind me of our Divination teacher Professor Trelawney. She used talk just like you, as if she could see through barriers into the future. She called it Inner Eye. Do you have something like that too?" he taunted her lightly.

"You are astonished that I am correct in my assessment, Draco Malfoy. You are just trying to hide your astonishment with all this silly talks." Apolline replied calmly, "As for the Inner Eye, I think every woman need around you need to have a pair of those so that you can't take advantage of their naiveté and innocence to violate them when you want." She said with an arched eyebrow.

Draco closed his eyes and a shuddering breath left his chest.

'This woman was proving to be very difficult.'

Determined to employ his Slytherin skills more he opened his eyes and turned his attention to the Muggle waiter standing beside their table.

"What is in the menu?" he asked the Muggle arrogantly.

"It's half-smoked back of Salmon with Gold Caviar for appetizer; 'Lucien Tendret' style Pate en Croute with crunchy pickled vegetables; Sauteed scallops and cooked cauliflower; Seared sea bass with tender chicory; Truffled shoulder of hare with foie gras; cirus salad and Crispy Tower nut for dessert, Monsiuer and Madame." The waiter announced with a flourish.

Draco dismissed him with a wave of his hands and turned his attention to Apolline who was now watching the streets of Paris from their high table inside the Muggle restaurant.

"You want to know why I brought you here and at this hour? When the whole restaurant seems to be closed since there is no one here except for us." She asked not leaving her eyes from the streets that she was so diligently watching, "The owner of this Muggle restaurant Alain Ducasse happens to be our Muggle neighbor. Gustave and he are a very good terms and we always allowed to come here should we need to dine, even after hours. All we need to do is inform him beforehand about it and the restaurant is ours as long as we want to keep it. as to the second reason why I brought you here after lunch hour is that I want to listen what you have to say so urgently and that too without the hustle and bustle of other diners." She explained evenly, "Now tell me, Malfoy what is it?"

The Muggle waiter arrived precisely at that moment and placed their plates of appetizers. Draco looked at the pieces of salmon and cut a small piece before answering.

"I want to know more about my son Adrian and his mother Hermione Granger." He stated plainly and using his silver forks delivered the piece of fish at it's rightful place: his mouth.

"I am all ears." Apolline offered curtly and started her appetizer.

Draco carefully maneuvered his words before he spoke again.

"I want to see Granger's pregnancy."

Apolline arched an eyebrow mid bite and put down her fork, "You mean you want to see her become pregnant again? With your child?" she scoffed, "I must admit that you don't look that much man to father another child with her." She smirked and took her fork again.

"Do you have doubt on my manhood?" Draco asked sharply, unable to control his temper at her merciless jibes.

Apolline huffed indignantly, "If carrying an overgrown manhood under trousers implies that one is a man than I guess even eunuchs with artificial manhood can be called man too." she commented and finished her appetizer, "It takes more than that to be a man, Draco Malfoy, and you.." she pointed an accusing finger at him, "are certainly not that." she said dismissively.

Draco pushed away his empty plate, his nerves on fire and hands aching to punish the woman sitting before him. But with immense discipline he controlled his rage and took deep breath to calm his mind.

'This woman is making it very difficult indeed.' He thought and decided to take a different approach with her.

"You know very well what I implied when I said I want to see Granger's pregnancy, Madame Delacour." He said evenly, "It must not have missed that excellent pair of your eyes but still if you want me to explain it more fully, I'll do that to." He said with a calm look.

The waiters came and replaced their next course with Pate en Croute.

"I want to see Granger's first pregnancy, when she was with Adrian." Draco elaborated.

Apolline looked down at the Pate before taking an elegant bite from it.

"And how may I help you there?" she asked him lightly preparing her next bite.

Draco took a deep breath to clear his mind. The moment of truth was finally there.

"I want you to give me those memories." He stated clear and loud.

Apolline played with next bite before eating it finally, "Why would you want to see them?" she asked giving Draco a piercing look.

"Because I want to know Adrian from the very beginning." He replied, deciding for the partial truth, "I am his father."

Apolline scoffed in indignation, "Father? You?" she asked finishing her Pate, "I have never heard of a father who violated the mother of the child he rightfully proclaims his heir." She commented, "You are anything but a father, Draco Malfoy. In my opinion you are a mere sperm donor." She opined.

Draco clenched his fists painfully, his knuckles white from force.

"Can we please leave that violation part?" he offered seriously, "It has no relation with what I am asking for Madame Delacour." He stated.

Apolline shook her head, "I beg to differ Monsieur Malfoy. It has every connection with what you want from me. I can't possibly give the memories of a victim's pregnancy to her perpetrator." She said firmly.

"I need those memories, Madame Delacour, I need…" he stopped midsentence when the waiters came to replace their next course, "….I need to know him….them from the very beginning." He urged seriously.

"You know them from very beginning. You were there when Adrian was conceived. You know it very well." Apolline protested and attacked a sautéed scallop, "What else is there to know?"

"I want to know what happened after that. I want to see Adrian growing up. I misses that part." Draco said not touching his plate.

"You are a pervert, Malfoy." Apolline declared with ease, "First you violate an innocent woman to the point that she became pregnant. Now you want to see that abominable pregnancy. You simply disgust me." She said with a grimace.

Draco rolled his eyes.

'What am I supposed to do to make her give me those memories?'

"I am willing to pay any amount for them. Any amount. Just name it." he said in a businessman like manner.

If looks could kill Draco was sure that Apolline's fierce look would have done that without a moment's notice.

"It might be a common practice among you Malfoys to buy and sell their women, Monsieur, but it certainly isn't the same with the Delacours. Have you still not learned that your filthy gold can't buy everything?" she asked him vehemently, "If you are so proud that you can buy everything than why not go and but another heir for the Malfoy throne?"

Cursing under his breath Draco held out his hands in surrender and tried to calm down the furious woman.

"Okay, fine. Any terms that you set. Anything at all." He offered gently, "I'll do anything for those memories." He said in a dead serious manner, "Anything." He repeated.

Apolline considered him with cold demeanor and hot angry eyes.

"Anything?" she repeated after a while.

"Anything." Draco affirmed confidently.

"Think about it, Draco Malfoy. What if you regret it later?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I have given it a thorough thinking." Draco stated firmly "I, Draco Malfoy, will do anything to have those memories that concern my son Adrian and my wife Hermione Granger." He swore solemnly.

Apolline's blue eyes twinkled before she held out her hand at Draco's direction.

Feeling unsure what might be the reason of her sudden elation Draco took it before shaking it gently.

"Welcome to inferno, Monsieur Pureblood Malfoy." Apolline sneered at him over their joined hands.