A/N: Thanks to Zeehana, Grovek26 and guest (SereniteRose), Cordee, Latina-pr, ramyfan and Mayisheea for their kind reviews on last chapter.

Thanks everyone for all the follows and favourites.

** This chapter is first part of two part chapter that deals with many things previously mentioned and takes the story forward. Firstly I deal here with the issue of Hermione acting illogically sometimes when it is universally known and accepted that she is a very bright woman. In reply I'd like to say that rape is not an ordinary trauma or fear. It is very capable of leaving permanent damage on one's mind and incapacitating one for the rest of her or his life. Rape survivors sometimes behave in a way that seems illogical to others but they don't understand there is deep-seated fear in that person's mind, which unless eliminated, hiders their progress. So, when I took up this story, I tried to write them as closely as it is possible humanely. Secondly, what Adrian thinks about his father and what his little dream is will be revealed.

Acknowledgements:

** Many many many thanks to dear AMBERJANUS for her kind help on this chapter.

**The description of Parc floral de Paris, Château and Unicorns were taken from Wikipedia and HP wikia.

Well I guess that's all and now please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review.

**I have made a page in Pinterest, wholly dedicated to TPA, where almost all the characters as I see them (both HP and OC) as well as major and minor things are available as images. The link in my profile for those who'd like to visit it.

**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.

For adult words and themes 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 resemblances are co-incidental.

Chapter 69: The All Hallow's Eve (Part 1).

Hermione wasn't expecting to receive a letter directly from Draco on early morning of Sunday, October the 31st. She had been awake only for five minutes, yawning and trying to remember the nice dream she had about her childhood when an official looking Grey owl flew into her bedroom without bothering to tap and dropped a letter on her lying form before flying out.

Curious and slightly annoyed at the arrogance of the bird, Hermione reached out and took the envelope that bore the seal of French Ministry of Magic and the name of an addressee underneath it.

To, Adrian T. Granger-Malfoy,

C/O Monsieur Draco L. Malfoy

Château de la Grange-Bléneau, Courpalay,

Ile-de-France, Republic of France.

Attached with it was a note in a handwriting that Hermione knew to below to none other than her damned husband. It wrote:

J. Granger,

The owl came by the morning's post and I am redirecting it to the rightful person. Hope I haven't disturbed you or Adrian's sleep.

D. Malfoy.

'Yes, you have.' Hermione thought furiously, regarding any morning starting with his name as a bad omen, 'That's the only thing you were born to do, you bastard, haunt me and my son.' Fuming, she tore open the envelope, unfolded the letter and held it above her eyes to read the contents. Beside her, Adrian gave a sleepy grunt and mumbled 'creepy…carrots.'

The letter read:

Dear Master Adrian,

We cordially you invite to join the Ministry's annual Hallowe'en Fancy Dress Party and Trick-and-Treat Festival at 'Parc Floral de Paris' in 'Bois de Vincennes' that will start from ten o'clock onwards. Please show this letter to your parents so that one of them can accompany you.

Sincerely,

Madame Proulx,

Dept of Woman and Children welfare.

Ministry of Magic.

Deep in thought, Hermione folded the letter and slipped it into the official envelope.

Living with the Delacours for six years, Hermione knew that the Ministry arranged an annual children's festival in the floral gardens of Château de Vincennes – Parc Floral de Paris on the occasion of Hallowe'en that was attended exclusively by the Ministry employee's children. Adrian had been insisting her to take him there ever since he found out about it and listening to his best friend Gina's, who was Auror Jeunet's daughter, boisterous account of it, his demands grew until the day Hermione told him that he couldn't attend it since she worked in the Gringotts, not in the Ministry. She purposefully avoided the topic of his father for the kid was only four and a half year at that time and resolute to attend the festival at any rate, her son then resorted to his dear uncle Alexis to take him there. But since it was only open for children of those who worked in the Ministry and Adrian wasn't Alexis's son, it only increased Hermione's helplessness and embarrassments on the matter.

But this year the scenario was different. At long last her five and half year old son has been invited by a letter to attend the Hallowe'en Fancy Dress Party and 'Trick and Treat' festival because now his father, Draco Malfoy worked in the Ministry and Hermione couldn't deny that she felt a tinge of disappointment for not being able to provide that opportunity to her son. She had tried hard to be a successful woman and mother, tried hard to provide everything her son ever wanted but invitation for the festival was one of those things that she could never give him unless she changed her job. Never in her dreams, had she imagined that that opportunity would come through Draco and now that the letter was finally in her hand, she was reluctant to let Adrian go there.

'Why be so childish, Hermione?' a voice scolded her, 'What's wrong if Adrian goes there?'

'I don't want my son to have to do anything with Malfoy.' Hermione replied firmly, 'He is my son, not his and therefore he'll be going where I decide for him to go.'

'Why be so foolish? What's wrong if the kid attends the place he is been invited?' the voice asked her, sounding reasonable, 'Hermione, don't you think you are overreacting to everything that is related to Malfoy? I mean, I can understand your hatred for him but that doesn't mean that Adrian is going to pay its price. The boy is innocent and he is so excited about his new costume. You know how he always wanted to go there.'

'Listen, I am his mother not his enemy.' Hermione tried to fight back valiantly, 'I don't want to see my son unhappy. I'd rather be unhappy than him.'

'And yet you are doing something that will make Adrian unhappy in the end.' The voice said, 'Remember the time you didn't let him wear his blue T-shirt just because Malfoy was suddenly showing interest in blue? Remember how sad and angry he was for being scolded for someone else's ecstatic behaviour? Remember what happened when you tried to curse Malfoy when he was in that Quidditch tryout? Remember how fool it looked when you took off your jumper just because Malfoy said your needed more? Why Hermione, why? Why be so childish? Why be so illogical? Why let the hatred take the best of you? Why are you making yourself and your son suffer just because you are affiliated with Malfoy? Why?'

'Because…' Hermione knew that her inner voice was being right, 'Because I hate Malfoy with every fiber of my being!' She cried desperately.

'So do I, Hermione, so do I.' the voice said calmly, 'Do not think that we are separate entities. We are one, Hermione, you and I. I know how you feel. I know you how you worked hard to give Adrian all the happiness in the world. I know you are disappointed that you couldn't give your son this opportunity. I know why you don't want to share him with Malfoy and I don't blame you for it. But how long are you going to keep them apart? How long are you going to avoid any kind of contact with him? After all, they are father and son. You can't deny the fact that they are related by blood.'

'But…I don't want my son to be like him.' Hermione said, exasperated, 'He is a bigot rapist.'

'Do you remember what Julian told you the day he took you all for shopping?' the voice asked her, 'He said that as long as your love is there, Hermione, your son will not lose his path in darkness. He said that Adrian will never be derailed with you as his mother. True that that man jokes most of the time but I agree with him. Adrian is not Malfoy, Hermione, although he shares half a blood with that bigot man. Your son is far more intelligent and receptive than Malfoy ever could be. And it is time to let him go and see if your rearing was good enough.'

'But he is just a child!' Hermione cried, appalled, 'What if Malfoy tries to convert him? What if he tries to manipulate his young mind?'

'Don't panic, Hermione, please don't panic.' The voice said soothingly, 'Close your eyes, take a deep breath. Close your eyes, Hermione, just close your eyes and take slow and deep breaths.'

Defeated, Hermione closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to calm her inner turmoil.

'Yes…yes…that's more like it…' the voice was gentle like aunt Audré when she gave her those sessions, 'Yes…that's right….just take deep breaths and calm down, Hermione, just calm down. Okay?'

'Okay.' Hermione agreed. She felt her body relax considerably as more oxygen found their home in her overheated brain and after several minutes of silent breathing, her tension was receding slowly.

'Are you feeling better now?' the voice enquired gently.

'Hm.' Hermione nodded slightly, taking deep breathes.

'Then listen to me carefully.' The voice in her head started in a very even tone, 'You are a bright woman, Hermione. You always have been. Remember what Sirius told you the night you and Harry helped him to escape? He called you 'the Brightest Witch of your Age.'' It reminded her, 'You are the one who solved Snape's puzzle when she was merely a first year student. You are the one who made Polyjuice Potion when she was only twelve. You are the one who used Time Turner in her Third Year. It was you who discovered that Lupin was a werewolf. It was you who found out that Rita Skeeter was an unregistered Animagi. It was because of you that Harry and Ron were not stranded in the middle of a war and finally defeated Voldemort. You saved them on numerous occasions, be it on Bill and Fleur's wedding or escaping from the Ministry of Magic or Godrick's Hollow or Luna's home or Gringotts, Hermione, you saved them with your quick wit and outstanding intelligence. Then why can't you save yourself now?'

'Don't think that I am not trying to save ourselves.' Hermione said, 'I have already coerced Malfoy into a deal that I know he'll never succeed in. I have even decided to keep an eye on him to find out what he is up to. What else can I do? You know I am stuck in this marriage until I find a way out.'

'No, Hermione, you are not stuck.' The voice countered, 'You were but not anymore. Your mum saved you, remember?'

'Yeah, she did.' Hermione agreed solemnly, 'She rescued me from that awful quicksand and aunt Audré told me that it represents that I am free from my inner fears and insecurities for Malfoy. But that doesn't mean that I am not Malfoy's wife. We are still a married couple.'

'You might be, Hermione, but the upside is now you are free from what was preventing your progress.' The voice was calm and reassuring, 'True that with time you conquered some of your outward fears for Malfoy but your inner fears about him resurfaced the moment he said that loves you. All your previous insecurities about him returned and you started having those horrible nightmares about pregnancy and Adrian's kidnapping. But now that your mum helped you to conquer them you can finally move forward and like Audré said, take control of your life. Tell me, Hermione does Malfoy affect you anymore? His presence? His words? Anything? Does it affect you the way it did before?'

'No.' Hermione replied, honestly 'I feel nothing.'

'See, you are free now.' the voice said, 'Free from all your fears about him. Now do you understand why the Ministry keeps those Dementors to guard Azkaban? Because, those creatures suck out every bit of hope from a man and replaces it with fear. It makes those unfortunate people to be stuck inside their heads. It is not those bars that imprison them there, Hermione, it their heads where they are imprisoned and because of it they lose their power to think properly. Long term imprisonment can make them insane.'

'Draco Malfoy was that Dementor in your life. The fear of that violent act stuck you inside your head. With time you forgot some of it but meeting him again after six years and later on your marriage with him flared it all up. It made you extremely frightened and sad, vulnerable and unsecured. And no matter how hard you tried you just couldn't get it over because the fear was deep seated. Like those prisoners of Azkaban, you were also stuck inside your head. It was hampering your logical thinking process. There was also the grief of letting Alexis go, the man you were slowly starting to rely upon and love.'

'But in your dream your mum helped you to overcome those fears and suddenly you realize that Malfoy doesn't affect you like he used to do before. Also you are determined to think about your future without Alexis. So, those feelings that were barring your judgment – fear and grief – are gone. Now you are the old Hermione again: the old fearless Hermione and I want you to think just like her.'

'I am trying.' Hermione said with all sincerity.

'Then you must have understood what I meant, Hermione, when I said it is time to let him go and see if your rearing was good enough. I hope you'll not be acting like a foolish anymore; like you once did.' The voice was serious now, 'Stopping Adrian from meeting his father will not stop Malfoy from coming after him. It will simply make him more desperate and he'll resort to unthinkable measures. He'll continue doing everything in his power to get Adrian. Then why not play the game on his own terms? Just like aunt Audré is playing with Metzner? Lose a few small battles to win the war.'

Hermione was listening to her inner voice with rapt attention.

'Let Malfoy get access to Adrian. Don't stop him anymore. Pretend like you've come at terms with him for the sake of your son and let them spend some time together. It will serve three purposes: one, it'll clear your insecurities that your son will follow Malfoy's path if he mingles with him; two, Malfoy will finally understand that he can't have his son after what he did to him and you and three, it'll divert his attention to Adrian and if you observe him closely during that time his real intentions behind that apology will eventually come out. Don't make the same mistake like you did in you sixth year when you didn't believe what Harry said about Malfoy's fishy movements. Remember, Malfoy is Malfoy and he can't feign forever. He is bound to show his true colours some time and you are going to discover it. And when you find out every single weakness he has, Hermione, you can use them against him when you challenge that Claim. You'll also be able to prove to him that no matter what he does Adrian, as Julian so rightfully stated, will be anchored to the goodness of his mother.'

Listening to her inner voice, the wheels of Hermione's head started moving at their usual top speed. She felt like her true self again; the self that was logical, tactical and wouldn't bend before any pressure no matter how heavy it was.

'Where were you all these days?' she asked her own self, 'I missed you.'

'I know you did but I was here, inside you, Hermione.' her inner voice replied calmly, 'I have always been. You just couldn't hear me before because you were too traumatized.'

'Thank you, Hermione.' Hermione smiled gratefully.

'Anytime.' The voice replied and was gone.

Armed with her new mission and resolution Hermione read the letter once again. This time it sounded different; it was not a defeat but a wonderful excuse to begin executing her new plans for Malfoy. True that she had agreed with Audré to observe Malfoy closely but she lacked a definite stratagem for it. She just couldn't go and ask her rapist to walk into their lives; that would sound like a horrible defeat before the Slytherin not to mention too suspicious too and Hermione no matter how desperate she might be, wasn't going to give him that pleasure.

But with the Ministry letter, she finally had the pawn she needed to play with.

Hermione turned sideways and looked at the innocent face of her sleeping son.

He looked even more innocent while sleeping and she just couldn't get enough of him.

"Little rabbit! Adrian! Mama's little rabbit!" she stroked his messy curls gently and called, "Wake up! Wake up and look what you have got!"

In response, Adrian simply grunted in sleep.

"Rabbitty boo! Wake up! Wake up, rabbitty babbity boo." Hermione really loved these moments when her son wouldn't like to be awakened.

"Mama! Please! I want to sleep!" Adrian cried sleepily and snuggled more firmly against Hermione.

"Okay, then I think I'll send back the letter you got from the Ministry." Hermione said, feigning disinterest.

As soon as the word 'letter' reached his ears, Adrian's eyes flew open.

"LETTER?" he bellowed loudly and sat bolt upright, "I GOT A LETTER?" his still sleepy eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Maybe." Hermione shrugged and took up the envelope, "Let's see what it says." She said dramatically, "To, Adrian T. Granger-Malfoy. Château de la Grange-Bléneau, Courpalay." She read out loud, "Do you think you know who this Adrian T. Granger is?" she asked her son arching amused eyebrow.

"THAT'S ME! ADRIAN THOMAS GRANGER! GIVE IT HERE!" Adrian exclaimed happily and tried to grab his letter when Hermione jumped out of her bed and held it above her head.

"I don't think you are going to get that too soon." She declared as Adrian jumped to his feet and tried to grasp the letter that was held too high for his little stature, "Mama is in one of her moods now." she declared.

"GIVE ME MY LETTER!" Adrian demanded, jumping up and down on the bed to reach Hermione's hand, "GIVE ME MY LETTER, MAMA!" he insisted.

"Take it." Hermione offered before running around the bed and within seconds Adrian jumped down the bed and followed her.

Hermione hadn't felt this happy for many many years. It was as if she was back in her first years with her friends when Harry almost swallowed the Snitch and won Gryffindor their match against the Slytherins; as if she has just come round and joined the whole school in Great Hall in celebration of defeat of the Monster of Slytherin and closure of the Chamber of Secrets; as if they were in their Hogsmeade visits in their third year with Harry scaring off Malfoy and his sidekicks under Invisibility Cloak; as if the ice between her best friends Harry and Ron had broken and them three were reunited after the first task of Triwizard Tournament; as if she was sitting beside Ron in the Hospital Wing when he said 'her-own-nee' after being poisoned and discovering that the redhead really loved her; as if they were dancing at Bill and Fleur's wedding and falling asleep in Grimmauld's Place holding each other's hand.

It was a state of unconditional happiness where Hermione could no longer feel Malfoy's ominous presence in her mind; it was clean once again, free from the pollution of his fear, free from doubts and misery. It was the happiness where Malfoy and his memories weren't breathing down her neck.

For the first time in her life Hermione realized what Dobby must have felt the day he was freed by Harry.

Freedom!

It was a small word and yet there were such depths in it that only a person recently released from captivity and be able to live without any obstacle or hindrance could understand the true meaning of it.

It was like looking at the sky without the metal bars of that tiny window at the far end of cell.

Discovering the coolness of fresh morning air that flowed touching her nostrils.

Looking down at your hands without chains of servitude and walking free without the jingling noise of it.

She was finally free now, Hermione was free!

She was free just like Gwyn was when she flew across the sky with the rest of the flock.

"Come, Gwyn, let's fly together!" Hermione called her pet before leaving her bedroom and the bird followed her silently.

She bolted downstairs and ran around the sitting room, kitchen and the small garden holding the letter jubilantly as Adrian cantered behind her, trying to retrieve his letter from his naughty mother. It reminded her of Percy running up and down the Gryffindor tower to recover his Head Boy badge from his twin brothers: Fred and George.

"MAMA, GIVE IT! GIVE IT TO ME!" he was still clad in his red pajamas as he pursued Hermione around their gardens before she ran into the sitting room again, "IT'S MY LETTER!"

"Catch me if you can, little rabbit. I am going out." Hermione challenged him before running out of their quarter closely followed by her son and pet dove.

She was free at last.

Why not celebrate it in the Château's bigger gardens?

•••••

Draco had turned on his parallel radio the moment he forwarded the Ministry owl with his note attached to it.

He was eager to find out Adrian's reaction on receiving his first ever letter.

Last night had been one of the longest of his twenty four year old life; a night that he spend pondering over his past and questioning himself over it. He knew the truth about the Royal Jelly now; he knew what claimed the lives of his innocent wife and sons. Dominique had been right in a sense that they have paid the price of his crime – the crime of bigotry, cruelty, pureblood madness and violence against an innocent woman. He knew the truth behind his own birth now; that his mother had resorted to Royal Jelly in order to give the Malfoys an heir to keep their line continuing. But even with all the truths weighing down his chest, Draco felt strangely empty. At least he was one lie less now; his confession to Dominique had made sure of that.

Morning came in the wings of Aurora and Draco watched the sunrise from his balcony, his unslept eyes fixed at the eastern horizon. When the Ministry owl came with the first morning post at around seven, he didn't wait to open it once he read the name of the addressee on it. He left his couch, scribbled a note to Hermione and attached it to the envelope before sending the owl to its new destination: Hermione's Fideliused quarters.

Now he was sitting before the radio, all his senses concentrated on it.

At first, no sound came.

'Well they must be sleeping, Draco. Wait till the owl delivers the letter.' he told himself, waiting for the ruffling sound of the owl feather as it delivered the letter to Hermione.

Another fifteen minutes passed and still no sound came through the radio.

'Did it miss the Fideliused quarter?' Draco tuned the knob of the radio and tried to concentrate more on the faint but crystal clear sounds that were mostly yawning and sleepy grunts, 'But as far as I know the Fidelius doesn't affect animals.'

Another twenty minutes passed and when Draco was considering whether he should go out to investigate the matter personally a voice froze him.

"Little rabbit! Adrian! Mama's little rabbit!" it was Hermione's sleepy voice, "Wake up! Wake up and look what you have got!"

It was the moment Draco had been waiting for eagerly, "Yes!" he punched jubilantly in the air and sat straight on his bed, keen to find out more.

"Rabbitty boo! Wake up! Wake up, rabbitty babbity boo." Hermione's voice cooed and Draco had to accept that he just couldn't get enough of it; he just loved it when she used that tender tone to talk to their son.

'Rabbitty boo?' he snorted playfully, grinning all the while, 'I'd have killed anyone who dared to call me that. Think of having a mother like Hermione Granger.'

"Mama! Please! I want to sleep!" hereby came Adrian's violent sleepy protest through the radio.

"Yes, Hermione, my son wants to sleep. Don't disturb him." Draco chastised her, taking sides with his son and imagining that they were in the same room with no barrier of space and magic between them.

"Okay, then I think I'll send back the letter you got from the Ministry." Hermione wasn't less tricky either. The Gryffindor knew what bait to use and when.

"LETTER?" Adrian's bellow almost shook the chandelier in Draco's bedroom, "I GOT A LETTER?"

"Yes, son, you have got a letter." Draco announced jubilantly, as if the letter was actually intended to him rather than his little son.

"Maybe." Hermione replied playfully, "Let's see what it says. To, Adrian T. Granger-Malfoy. Château de la Grange-Bléneau, Courpalay. Do you think you know who this Adrian T. Granger is?"

His elation evaporated, Draco frowned slightly now noting how Hermione deliberately omitted his surname when addressing Adrian.

"THAT'S ME! ADRIAN THOMAS GRANGER!" Adrian exclaimed happily. "GIVE IT HERE!"

Draco scowled this time. Even his son seemed reluctant to use his father's surname.

"I don't think you are going to get that too soon. Mama is in one of her moods now." Hermione's voice declared.

'Hermione is in one of her moods?' Draco asked himself, his heart still tingling with the unpleasant discovery about his surname.

"GIVE ME MY LETTER!" Adrian's voice demanded through radio, "GIVE ME MY LETTER, MAMA!"

"Why? Isn't she giving it to you?" in his mind's eye Draco imagined a Hermione holding the letter high up in the air and Adrian jumping up and down to get it from her clutches.

"Take it. Come, Gwyn, let's fly together!" Hermione offered instead and Draco heard her running footsteps taking her voice evidently downstairs.

The sound of another pair of jumping feet hitting the ground suggested that his son has taken up the challenge and was after his mother now.

"Catch her, Adrian, catch her." Draco was excited as if he was listening to a blow-by-blow commentary of a high-voltage Quidditch match on radio where Adrian was the Seeker and Hermione was the Snitch, "Don't let her take away your letter. You are half a Slytherin, man! Don't make me lose my face before that naughty Gryffindor!"

"MAMA, GIVE IT! GIVE IT TO ME!" Adrian was slightly panting as he chased his mother, "IT'S MY LETTER!"

"Yes, Hermione, it's his letter!" Draco reminded her, forgetting that he wasn't actually there with them.

"Catch me if you can, little rabbit. I am going out!" Hermione's voice provoked Adrian.

"Going out? Going out where?" Draco was at a loss of words, "Where are you going Hermione?"

Thousands of possibilities popped up in his head each far-fetched than the previous before a loud cry reached his ears.

It was coming from the gardens below and as if he has been electrified, Draco jumped out of his bed and rushed into his balcony.

Leaning against the balustrades, he could see Adrian still in his red pajama chasing a joyful Hermione who was in her blue night dress. It seemed as if someone has blown a new spirit into her for she was happy like a bird just out of cage and running like a five year old girl. As he watched them from his balcony, she reminded Draco of little Jean and his new yearning for a little daughter like her.

How adorable it would look if he had a daughter who looked just like Hermione?

With her voluminous brown curls!

With her enticing brown eyes that captivated Draco!

And with her innocence and purity of soul!

How wonderful it would be to have a daughter just like Hermione!

And he would name her…

"OUCH! MAMA!" Adrian's loud exclaim brought Draco out of his musings and focusing on them he found Adrian crouching down, holding his left ankle painfully.

Hermione was beside him in the next second.

"What happened, little rabbit, what happened?" she was horrified as she almost threw herself on the grass beside Adrian and bend down to have a closer look of the apparently injured limb, "Oh, no! Did you sprain your ankle?" she cried out in anguish, "Mama is so bad, Mama is so bad!" she carefully took Adrian's left foot and massaged it, "Mama caused it and she is so so so bad!" she slapped herself, forgetting the letter.

"Merlin!" Draco was horror struck. He was planning to take Adrian and Hermione to the Fancy Dress Party and now his child has sprained his leg! Appalled, he was almost at the door to go to them when Adrian's joyful cries pierced his eardrums.

"GOT IT!" he announced triumphantly, "I GOT MY LETTER!"

Turning back Draco almost crashed on the balustrade and looked down, his heart beating in his throat.

Down at the garden, Hermione looked as dumbstruck as him above when Adrian snatched the letter from her hands and waved it before her nose gleefully.

"You cheated with Mama!" she blinked and so did Draco. None of them could believe that their little son was capable of such horrific tricks.

"It's not cheating." Adrian shook his head fervently, "I just tricked you. Today is Hallowe'en." He reminded her of the grand occasion, "And this is my treat." He showed Hermione the letter.

"You filthy little…" Hermione couldn't finish before she flattened her son on the ground and started tickling him ferociously, "You dare to trick Mama…hmmm…you tricked Mama…" her fingers ran all around Adrian's sensitive spots and the little boy wriggled and roared in laughter, "…just for a letter…and then you smart mouth me…"

"You foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!" Draco shook his head, laughing in synchrony with Adrian and Hermione, "Though I truly mean that as a compliment, you little Slytherin."

It was one of the best mornings of his life, starting it with a healthy dose of laughter with his wife and son.

•••••

Narcissa opened her bedroom door and an involuntary gasp escaped her.

Adrian was standing before her donning his new Creepy Carrots costume. It seemed to enhance the little boy's innocent features that resembled so much his father. A few of his silvery blonde curls were poking out of the hat Hermione made for him with the green stem on it and under the Illusion Charm Narcissa had cast, the goggling eyes were frowning severely at her and the comical grin planted on the face of the Creepy carrots was ever more increasing with time.

"Hoohahahaha…." It laughed with a nasty sound making all of them jump slightly.

"Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy." She heard Hermione's voice greeting her and looked up to find the boy's mother standing behind him, "Thought you'd like to see Adrian in his new costume."

"That's…wonderful." Narcissa was short of words to convey her gratitude to the woman who was too kind upon a woman whose son had assaulted her, "I can't thank you enough for it." She said truthfully.

The night after confession to Draco had been a tough one for Narcissa and she spent it sleepless on her bed reading and re-reading the letter from Astoria's mother. The woman she once knew to be her friend and cousin was now accusing her of murder of her daughter Astoria and it hurt Narcissa to even think that someone could take her as a person of such derogatory mental state. Astoria was her daughter-in-law, the woman her son was deeply in love with and the mother of the future Malfoy heirs. Needless to say that she was a pureblood and related to the Sacred Twenty Eight, very few of whose esteemed bloodline now remained. It was unimaginable that someone could think that she would intentionally give Astoria something that could claim her life as well as the child she bore.

It was Audré who rescued her from her perilous thoughts early in the morning. She brought in the morning coffee with breakfast and they drank together in silence until Narcissa mustered enough courage to ask her what she knew about the Royal Jelly.

"Mrs. Greengrass told me about it when I met her in Malfoy Manor during my visit in England." Audré confessed plainly, as if they were talking about latest fashion in Parisian women, "Is something wrong?" she asked her.

In reply Narcissa simply handed her the letter and Audré read it silently.

"Seems like she harbours a deep hatred for you." she commented folding back the letter and returning it to Narcissa.

"She lied to you, Audré." Narcissa was desperate to clean her name as a murderer, "Had I know that Astoria is hemophilic I'd never have given her Royal Jelly. I loved her. She was like my daughter."

Audré sighed and rubbed her eyes, "Then why would she say such a thing?"

"Because she wants to blame someone for her own foolishness!" Narcissa cried, "Draco and Astoria were in Italy for their honeymoon when their first child Scorpius was conceived. How was I supposed to get there? Besides, how was I supposed to even know that Astoria was planning to conceive? Do you think she'd share with me her conjugal life with her husband? Do you think any woman in her right mind would that?"

"No, I don't think so." Audré admitted, looking thoughtful.

"See how cleverly this woman lied to you?" Narcissa said, shaking her head in disbelief, "After the war was over the purebloods were under pressure because most of them were affiliated with the Dark Lord. It was then that we decided to help each other out of this mess and Astoria's father, Ebenezer Greengrass, was the reason Lucius could escape with a lighter sentence. He lobbied for him and for us; convincing everyone that we had no choice but to obey Dark Lord's orders for he was using our place as his Base. Do you think I'd kill the daughter of the man who was our good friend and incur his wrath?"

Audré shook her head.

"I am not telling that Royal Jelly wasn't used. It was used." Narcissa said, feeling that she needed to clarify the point with Audré too, "But only as desperate measure. I don't know if Medusa took them every time she conceived. She could have. With her cruel and narrow minded nature, it was possible but she never lived to tell me the tale. She died when I was five monthes pregnant with Draco and honestly, Audré, I can't say that I was very sorry for it. She was such an abusive woman that her death brought relief in my life. I kind of bloomed after she died and my pregnancy went well until Draco was born. So, when Astoria was having difficulty in conceiving I thought I could help her with Royal Jelly. I didn't know that she was hemophilic."

"But even with that, Narcissa, she could've lived had she not been under pressure to provide an heir to the Malfoys." Audré said reasonably, "Maybe that way the Entail would've broken but so many innocent lives could be spared in its stead. Tell me Narcissa, what is more important? Money or life?"

Narcissa knew the answer was latter.

"Draco was very upset last night when I told him everything." she confessed quietly, "We seemed to have made the wrong choice."

Audré was about to reply when a knock on the door interrupted her and Narcissa left her bed to find Adrian standing before her.

"I bet you won't find a cuter carrot in farmer's market." She crouched down before Adrian and took his little hand in hers before kissing it gently, "You look wonderful, grandson."

"But I am supposed to look creepy!" Adrian protested, looking disheartened.

Narcissa clutched over heart in feigned horror, "Grandma is an old woman, Adrian. She has a very weak heart. She'll die if you try to frighten her with your creepy looks. Please spare her." she pleaded with wide blue eyes.

"Okay." Adrian tiled his head sideways, "I'll not be creepy with you." his grey eyes wide with honest emotion.

"Thank you very much, good boy." Narcissa smiled and straightened up, "Jean, why don't you come in?" she offered Hermione as Adrian hopped in and jumped into the arms of Audré.

"No, thanks." Hermione replied from the threshold, "It's already past ten and we are getting late for Adrian's Fancy Dress Party."

"There is Trick and Treat too." her son added from Audré's lap, "Grandma Audré, do you know I got my letter today? Now I can go there. Like Gina."

"Trick and Treat?" Narcissa asked, puzzled, "I thought it was something like 'Trick or Treat'. What about that letter? And who is Gina?" she asked Hermione.

"Gina is my best friend." It was Adrian who replied happily, "Her papa is Auror at the Ministry. Every year she gets a letter to go to Trick and Treat party. And I couldn't. But this year I got my letter too."

"Why? Why didn't the Ministry invite you there?" Narcissa was beside herself in astonishment.

"Because the party is only for the kids whose parent or parents work in the Ministry and Jean works in Gringotts." Audré replied with a deliberate look at her and Narcissa understood that she was not to pursue the matter anymore, "Every year, the Ministry arranges a children's festival called 'Trick and Treat' on the occasion of Hallowe'en.' The theme is very simple. You do a trick and win a treat. They also give prizes for the most innovative costume and I bet our little creepy carrot is going to scare the living daylights out of everyone." She kissed Adrian on his forehead and the carrot costume let out another shuddering laugh in approval.

"I am going to win a lot of treats too." Adrian piped.

"Adrian, we can talk later." Hermione said checking her watch, "We are getting late."

With a jump Adrian landed on the floor and ran to his mother.

"Goodbye grandma Audré." He waved his hand at them, "Goodbye grandma Narcissa. I'll bring a lot of treats for you." he promised them.

"Goodbye." Narcissa waved back, tearful now, "Your old grandma will be eagerly waiting for you."

Even after Hermione took leave with her son and Adrian followed his mother happily, Narcissa couldn't shake off the feelings that she always felt when Hermione and Adrian were in vicinity.

It was a strange mixture of guilt, pleasure, sorrow and pride.

Guilt for being responsible for what happened to Hermione.

Pleasure for having a wonderful grandson like Adrian.

Sorrow for her own son Draco's sufferings.

And pride of being a grandmother at last.

"I wonder what that woman is made of!" Narcissa commented sitting on her bed, still overwhelmed, "If I were raped and married to my rapist I wonder if I ever could forgive his mother for what happened to me."

"It's Jean, Narcissa." Audré reminded her, "She is the woman she fractured her sound arm for her son. I bet none of us could have done that."

Narcissa sighed, agreeing internally with Audré.

"I don't think I'd have kept the child that was conceived from such a violent act." She said unabashedly, "I'd have aborted it."

"Most women would do that. And it's legal too." Audré said calmly, "But that is why Jean is so different from everyone. She kept a child no one wanted and sacrificed everything she had for it."

"Motherhood is such a strange thing, Audré." Narcissa didn't know any other way to put it, "It makes a woman take unthinkable measures to protect her child." She remembered the Unbreakable Vow with Snape and lying to Voldemort about Potter's death.

"Indeed." Audré commented mysteriously.

•••••

Hermione didn't know if she had ever seen her son happier than this.

Leaving Narcissa's suite she and Adrian headed for the Apparition Point where she was sure Malfoy would be waiting for them. It didn't require one to have two brains to understand that as Adrian's legal guardian and a Ministry official, Malfoy would be required to accompany them to formal occasions and after this morning's revelations, Hermione couldn't deny that she was no way irritated by it.

In fact, she was eager to test her theory and sure enough when Adrian saw the tall stature of that arrogant man standing beside the apparition point, he groaned.

"Mama, is Monsieur going with us?" he enquired, looking not too pleased about it.

"Yes." Hermione's heart was swelling like a balloon in elation, noting the tone of disappointment in Adrian's voice, "Why? Aren't you happy?"

"No." Adrian replied curtly, "He's creepy."

"What? How?" Hermione was surprised this time.

Adrian gave a sideways glance at his mother as the approached Draco, "He comes suddenly. Goes suddenly. Then he says hello and shakes hand with me. He is very creepy." He opined.

Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or cry so she did none and made her features as expressionless as possible.

Draco was wearing a plain white shirt and blue neck tie over grey trousers this morning and Hermione didn't give him or his blue tie more than a disinterested glance before taking Adrian's right hand silently. She knew he was doing to all these to gain her attention and there was no way she was going to give him that pleasure. Besides, these trivial things didn't matter to her anymore.

"You are looking very scary in that costume, son." Draco's eyes roved up and down Adrian's creepy carrot costume, "May I take your hand?" he asked calmly, offering his hand which the little boy took after a cautious glance.

"I'll apparate us to that Park." Hermione said to the air, "I know it quite well."

"Please allow me, Granger. I've already been there." Draco said solemnly.

Hermione shrugged carelessly. The less words were exchanged between them, the better.

At her approval, Draco grasped Adrian's hand a little more firmly and turned them on the spot.

They appeared seconds later in the grounds of Château de Vincennes, a huge 14th century French castle and former residence of kings of France. Parc Floral de Paris was a public park and botanical garden within the vast gardens of the former royal Château. It featured a large outdoor concert stage called the Delta; a restaurant and a cafe; large and small exhibition halls; an art gallery; a large playground for kids and a miniature railway track. Hermione had been there several times with her friends when she took Adrian solely to visit the annual flower shows.

As soon as they apparated, Adrian let go of Draco's hand and tugged Hermione forward.

"MAMA, COME!" he urged and almost dragged Hermione behind her.

There were two entrances to the park. One through the Château and the other through a road called the Route de la Pyramide – one that Hermione usually took. But since Draco has apparated them to the Château grounds, she had to take the route the visitors took when they entered from the Chateau de Vincennes - passing through a forest of cedars and oaks to arrive at the central element of the composition, the Vallée des Fleurs or Valley of Flowers. The flowers in the Valley of flowers were changed each year, according to the chosen theme.

It was her and Adrian's first time in the festival and like her son, Hermione didn't know where to look first.

The valley flowers were orange and black daisies, artfully draped with thin sparkling spider webs while from the tree branches hung carved pumpkins of variable sizes – all cackling and sniggering manically. Hundreds of live skeletons were walking down the winding roads, scaring the little kids who came with their parents with their wide toothy grins and eyeballs that popped out occasionally. Thousands of bats were flying around them in broad daylight, their eerie screeching making it difficult to listen anything. To top it all, the weather had been turned to look grim and grey with clouds that were shaped like hounds, werewolves and giant spiders.

Adrian was beside himself in wonderment and he kept pointing at different things.

"Look, Mama, the clouds…"

"…The skeletons…"

"…The bats…"

Joggling behind her son, Hermione passed a group of headless jugglers who were using their own skulls. Galloping sound of hooves whooshed passed them and Hermione turned around to find the members of the Headless Hunt playing polo with their own heads. Ironically it reminded her of Nearly Headless Nick.

The Fancy Dress Party and 'Trick and Treat' festival was being held at the large playground inside the park. The Muggle contraptions have been removed and in its place stall after stall after stall with wildest tricks imaginable have been erected by the Ministry.

With all the hustle and bustle, Hermione had forgotten completely that Draco was accompanying them and when the witch in a banshee costume standing under the large entrance gate greeted them asking for Adrian's letter, did she felt him standing behind them silently.

"Thank you Monsieur and Madame Malfoy for coming." She smiled and ticked on her board, checking beside their names, "That must be Master Adrian." she looked down at the little boy who was wide eyed, "So, what is this costume?" she asked looking half-amazed and half- skeptic.

"It's a Creepy Carrot." Adrian replied and the costume let out a laugh in agreeentm, conveying that it was indeed very creepy.

"Right. Adrian Granger-Malfoy is a Creepy Carrot for the Fancy Dress Party." The witch at reception noted it on her board, "I must say I have never seen anything like this before." She confessed openly.

Hermione thanked her before entering the festival with her son. She was determined to ignore Draco as much as possible and soon she was lost in the sea of kids who were getting bewildered with 'Trick and treat'.

There were tricks on balloon poking where the right balloon poked would shower the kid with chocolate beans and wrong balloon poked would release another ten balloons, making the game more difficult. Every kid was given three turns to poke the right one from a flock of balloons all of which would shout 'poke me, poke me I am the right one' to confuse the kid and Adrian poked his one on his second turn and winning himself a set of Gemenio Gems that multiplied by itself.

"This is for Aunt Gaby." Adrian handed Hermione the large bag of Gemenio Gems, "She likes them." he said reminding Hermione that Gabrielle liked chocolate beans and she didn't know what to say for her young son's thoughtfulness.

There was a game of Musical Chair where the charmed chairs would walk with the participant kids and they would have to run in order to catch one when the music was stopped. The treat was a large box of Peppermint Imps which would make one to breathe out cold and minty mist for fifteen minutes. Hermione knew her son was a good runner but how good he exactly was, she didn't have an idea until the boy outrun all the participants and won himself a box of Peppermint Imps which he gave to her telling that they were for grandpa Gustave.

"Grandma scolds him, Mama and when she is angry, grandpa can give her an Imp." He said reasonably, "To cool her."

Hermione laughed, deeply touched by her son's observation power and innocence.

There was a game of Chocolate Frog Leap where one had to carefully maneuver a series of Chocolate Frogs to jump over some charmed stone frogs that were all sitting on lily pads in order to collect them. It was game of intelligence for many kids failed before Adrian finally took up the challenge and Hermione watched in wonderment how her little son instructed the chocolate frogs to move from one lily pad to another with the concentration and patience of an adult person and collected them one by one in the end.

"He is a very bright kid." The witch who handed Hermione Adrian's prize, remarked in awe, "Even many older kids couldn't do that."

Hermione couldn't deny that she was very impressed. Being a single mother and spending most of day in the dungeons of Gringotts she never had a lot of time to explore how her son had been growing up. She had a general idea about the little boy's intelligence quotient but this simple game was an eye opener for her. She promised to be more attentive with her son's education and mental training from that moment on.

She followed Adrian around the vast playground where he played a game of 'catch the chocolate snitch' which were in fact winged chocolate truffles, the traditional Hallowe'en game of Apple Bobbling except for here they were filled with chocolate sauce which would squirt if one tried to bite them and entered a giant maze to obtain a stack of Vanishing Vanilla Pods, each pod capable of making one vanish for five minutes.

And soon her hands were aching with the large bags of Adrian's collectibles when Draco's voice came from behind.

"I can hold some if you want." he offered her calmly and not interested to argue, she handed him all the bags before following Adrian to his next destination.

Every year, as Hermione had heard from Alexis and Adrian, the Ministry would showcase the non – violent Magical animals to young kids so that they could see them from up close and learn. There were hundreds of verities of owls starting from the smallest Elf Owls to slightly bigger Pygmy Owls, from Snowy to Tawny to Brown to Grey Owls and from Barn to Eagle owls.

"My owl Aquila is an eagle owl just like this one." Hermione feigned disinterest as Draco tried to converse with Adrian for the first time since they arrived there almost two hours ago, "Except that he had white feathers." He showed the little boy the large hawk like owl on the stand.

"Where is he now?" Adrian asked him.

"He…he is in Malfoy Manor. Your papa's home. Your home." Draco replied solemnly.

Adrian's curious eyes widened considerably, "My home?" he tilted his head sideways, "Where is it?"

Hermione was on the verge of interrupting them when her inner voice stopped her.

'No, Hermione. Let him continue.' It bid and she swallowed her anger remembering her new strategy.

Draco gave Hermione a sideways glance, "It's in England, in a place called Wiltshire. The manor has been our ancestral home for ten centuries. It's a vast place with grounds that stretches for miles. We even have white peacocks there. Your grandpa Lucius brought them. Would like to go there?" he asked Adrian cautiously.

Hermione was curious to learn her son's answer and it came immediately when he shook his head, the green stem of his carrot costume bobbling.

"No!' Adrian replied, "My home is here. With Mama. With Grandma and grandpa. With uncles and aunts. With Louis and Gina." He stated and edged closer to his mother.

Sighing Draco straightened up and Hermione gave him a very satisfied smirk before turning and taking Adrian to the next animal.

It was a silvery white unicorn this time, sitting on the grass under a tree with her young foal. A large crowd of costumed children were gathered around it, all looking down as one of the Ministry Instructors, a witch in white robes, told them about the unicorns.

"Unicorn foals are born pure gold in colour. They remain so until they are about two years old, at which time they turn silver in colour. At around four-years-old their horn grows in." she was telling them and unable to see the fascinating creature over the head of taller kids, Adrian kept jumping up and down until Hermione lifted him in her arms, "They are fully grown at about seven years old, at which age they turn a shade of pure white that is so bright that it makes freshly fallen snow look grey in comparison. Their hooves are golden and their blood is silver-blue in colour and shines under the moonlight." She showed the golden foal that was inclining against its silvery white mother who seemed to radiate a strong aura, "They are also one of the few mythical creatures not associated with violence, danger, and fear."

"That's a unicorn, Mama?" Adrian's mouth fell open in awe.

"Yes, they are." Hermione replied, "The silvery one is Mama Unicorn and the golden one is her baby."

"Ohh!" Adrian's voice was full of tender amazement, "So cute."

The crowd of eager children moved away with loud 'ooh's and 'aah's once the Instructor finished her lecture and getting an opportunity to have a better look, Hermione moved ahead the queue with her son.

"What's her name?" she asked the kind faced Instructor who to her surprise had quite a big baby bump, "I mean the Unicorns."

"The mother's name is Biancha, meaning 'white power'." The witch replied, looking proud, "And her foal is Bennettia, meaning 'the little blessed one'."

Looking at the pregnant witch, Hermione was reminded of her time with Adrian.

"Don't mind me telling but shouldn't you be at home, taking rest?" she asked her forgetting that Adrian was listening to her.

"Oh no, I am just fine." The witch smiled cordially, "I am on my seventh month and my Healer said that the baby is doing pretty well. My husband and son are here too, collecting the treats." She indicated at the festival that was roaring around them, "Besides, Biancha is very fond of me. She wouldn't listen to anyone except me. Nor will her foal." She gave the unicorns an affectionate glance.

Hermione was about to congratulate the witch when Adrian's tender voice cut in.

"Are you going to have a baby?" he jumped down from Hermione's arms and looked up at the protruding bump of the witch.

"Yes, I am, little man." the witch smiled kindly and replied.

Adrian gave her such a happy smile that Hermione thought could melt even the cruelest of hearts, "Louis's mama is going to have a baby too." he said, delighted as if it was not his best friend's mother but his own mother who was going to have a baby.

"Can I say hello to the baby?" he asked and Hermione suddenly sensed danger. But before she could so much as open her mouth to forbid her son, the witch nodded brightly, "You can. I am sure she can hear you."

"She?" Adrian repeated, beside himself in joy, "Hello little baby 'she'." He waved his hand at the bump, "My name is Adrian and this is my Mama." he looked up at Hermione, "Mama, say hello to baby she." He bid her.

It was as if Hermione had been force-fed Skelegro and her tongue has all curled up inside her mouth, making her incapacitate to utter a single word. Feeling Adrian's enthusiasm for babies was nothing but a small manifestation of his own yearning for a younger sister, a horrible constricting guilt wrenched her guts and she blinked several times to beat off the tears that were bursting to come out.

Things could have looked up had the matter ended there. But unfortunately it didn't and when Adrian asked the pregnant witch if she had taken chocolate frogs to have a baby, Hermione wanted to vanish into thin air.

"Chocolate Frogs? To have a baby?" the witch looked from Adrian to Hermione to the real culprit standing behind them, "Why should I have Chocolate Frogs to have a baby?" she asked the little boy, astonished.

Even for a five and half year old boy, Adrian noted the faint note of amazement in the witch's tone and he looked up at Draco, who a furious Hermione noted, was paler than usual.

"I was… told that… babies are… like Chocolate Frogs." He was having difficulty in articulating the sentence, "When maman and papa want to have a baby the maman eats Chocolate frogs. And the Papa does magic on her tummy. The magic turns the frogs into baby."

The witch let out a laugh as if it was good joke, "Really? She asked, highly amused, "That's the first time I heard something like that."

Enough was enough and Hermione came forward to control he damage. Adrian was having a silent staring contest with Draco and she was certain that her son wasn't listening to anything the witch was saying.

"Adrian." she called him, using her softest voice but the little boy simply turned away and before anyone of them could do anything, he ran towards the exit.

"ADRIAN!" Hermione screamed, running like mad behind her son, "ADRIAN, LISTEN TO ME! LITTLE RABBIT! LISTEN TO MAMA!" she pleaded, trying to keep up with him.

But catching Adrian was a job most difficult and Hermione soon realized why neither Draco nor Lillian couldn't catch him the night he was kidnapped. The little boy knew how to avoid being caught when he truly wanted it. He seemed to have grown wings and within minutes he was outside the playground and on the roads with both his parents perusing him.

"ADRIAN, LISTEN!" Hermione called after him, feeling breathless.

"ADRIAN, STOP!" Draco called from beside Hermione, "PLEASE, STOP!"

But the boy wouldn't listen to them and it was not until that he ran into a man and fell on the ground that Hermione finally caught up with him.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" a wild Adrian was thrashing the man who was having difficulty in holding him straight, "I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE!"

"Whoa! What happened to you kid?" the man asked, avoiding Adrian's legs that were kicking at random, "Where are your parents?"

"Adrian!" Hermione came to halt before the man, panting heavily. She was crying openly now as curious onlookers halted their steps momentarily to know what was happening, "Adrian! I am so sorry, Monsieur. He's my son and he is a very good boy. He is just very upset now."

"Mama!" Adrian cried and threw himself on Hermione, embracing her tightly, "Mama take me home. Take me with you." he pleaded, crying unabashedly.

"Yes, Mama will! Mama will!" Hermione said convulsively, trying to console her son, "Merci, Monsieur." She wiped her tears and thanked the man, "I'll take my son home now."

"Yes, you should. He is in real mess." The man agreed, "Now if you excuse me, Madame, my kids are at the festival." He said before leaving them.

"Grang…" Hermione heard Draco calling her but without giving it a damn, she turned on the spot taking Adrian to the Château.

She appeared there and Draco followed her seconds later.

"Hermione! Granger!" he came after her with leaps and bounds like a wild beast and occluded her path, "Please! I beg you! Listen to me! Please, I can explain!" he held up his hands in the air.

"Mama, don't listen to him!" Adrian's face was turned away from Draco resolutely and he rested his chin on Hermione's right shoulder, "He lies! He always lies!"

"Please, Granger, don't go!" Draco begged, his expression very serious, "Just give me a chance to explain everything. One chance. Just one chance!"

Numerous cursed were one Hermione's lips waiting to be showered on Draco. She felt like smacking him like she did on their Third Year but for a very strange reason, she did none. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let her inner self guide her.

'Let him explain, Hermione.' the voice told her, 'Trust me. I am your instincts.'

"Fine." Hermione opened her eyes, this time in total control of her own self and situation, "Explain." She bid Draco coolly.

"Thank you." Draco said as calmly as he could, "Adrian, can you please come down and listen to papa for a second?"

"You are not my papa. You are Monsieur." Adrian retorted vehemently, "And you lie."

Draco, Hermione noted, had turned a sick tinge of grey and he gulped and bit his lips before approaching Adrian once again.

"Okay fine. I am a liar." He admitted and Hermione suppressed an elated sigh, "But I lied for a reason. I lied because I was ashamed to admit the truth."

"Mama never lies to me." Adrian piped, his back still turned to Draco, "Mama never lies."

"Yes, she never lies." Draco glanced at Hermione and proclaimed, "Mama is a good woman. But papa isn't a bad man either. He admits that he lied but he had no choice."

Hermione wanted to ask him how he was going to tell Adrian the truth but her inner voice stopped her again.

'Don't interrupt them, Hermione.' it said, 'Let them continue.'

"I don't care! You lied to me and I don't like you." Adrian said flatly, "You hurt Mama. You fought with her. You are creepy and you lie. I don't like you. I like uncle Alexis. He was going to be my papa."

As if a bomb has been dropped, everything went very quiet suddenly.

"Adrian!" Hermione gasped after a while, not knowing what else to do. Draco, it seemed like someone has slapped him directly on his face and he stood there, ashen faced, trembling from head to foot.

"Mama, take me away." She heard Adrian bid her and this time there was no way she could disobey.

Hugging Adrian tightly and leaving behind all the packages of treats that she had given to Draco earlier, she left for her Fideliused quarter.

Her son was very silent once they reached there. He kicked out his shoes and threw away his carrot hat. He took off his Creepy Carrot suit, tossed it across the bedroom carelessly and lied down on his stomach on their bed, half naked.

Hermione slumped on the foot of the bed not knowing what to do.

Things were becoming so complicated now; with Draco trying to win back Adrian's confidence, Adrian secretly yearning a baby sister and her wanting to counterbalance the scales of her disordered life, things were so out of control for Hermione. This wasn't the usual teenage love triangle between Ron, Lavender or her, neither was it an academic problem that could be solved by reading some books in the library. This was different; this was emotional, raw and deep issue.

Hermione looked up at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts.

She knew that Adrian wanted a sibling. They boy has expressed his desire very clearly.

But she also knew that she couldn't give him one as long as Draco Malfoy was her husband. The thought of him touching her that way, once again, penetrating her core and inoculating her with his seeds was beyond her wildest and most horrific nightmares. The way he had tore off her clothes, pinned her to the ground, kissed her forcefully, bitten her nipples before tearing the barrier of her innocence was still fresh in her mind and Hermione closed her eyes once again to calm her inner storm.

She was grateful to Apolline for suggesting the rite of Sacred Marriage. The elderly and experienced woman had sensed Hermione's inner insecurities regarding the consummation of her marriage with her rapist very well. Besides, there were some things that shouldn't be governed by law or magic and consummation of marriage was one of those.

"May I come in?" it was Audré's voice that brought Hermione to reality and opening her eyes, she found her standing on the threshold holding Adrian's packages of a treats and an envelope.

"Yes, aunt." Hermione rubbed her eyes wearily, "Please do." She said and smiling serenely, Audré entered their bedroom.

"Did the bats tear off Creepy Carrot's costume?" she enquired looking down at the cloth strewn floor, "Or did he tear them himself when he came last at the competition?" she asked Adrian who didn't answer.

Hermione knew Audré was here for a reason and it couldn't be anything unrelated to what just happened downstairs. She felt ashamed of herself; her life was like an open book to Audré now. The woman seemed to know everything about her and this wasn't quite Hermione.

Hermione was who helped others hiding her own troubles to herself.

Hermione was who cried in girl's toilet away from the crowd.

Hermione was who helped Hagrid prepare his case for Buckbeak with immense pressure of homework on her head.

Hermione was who never broke down, never stopped until she got what she sought and never came second.

This Hermione was not the old one. It was just a broken figment of her.

'No, Hermione, you are wrong.' Her inner voice said, 'You are still the old one. The undefeated one. You are the one and only Hermione Granger.' it assured her, 'Just don't lose your heart. Don't think that you can't win this. Don't think that asking for help weakens you. Nobody is invincible. Even your friend Harry, the Chosen One, the boy who lived Voldemort's curse when he was just one year old couldn't have defeated him unless he had everyone's help; unless he had your help. So, don't think you are weak just because Audré knows and helps you. She doesn't think that you are weak. She helps you because she loves you. Wouldn't you do the same to a woman whom you consider your daughter?'

It was so strange that her own voice was comforting her, pampering her and giving her the courage to look beyond the conventional ideas she had planted for herself. She was strong and brave. She was not broken. No. Draco Malfoy hadn't succeeded in doing that.

"I thought I was going to get some treats and now both the mother and the son are silent." Audré remarked sadly and settled before Hermione, "I have also got a letter for Adrian. A man named Monsieur sent it for him." She stated calmly.

Adrian sniffed audibly in response.

"Dear Adrian," Audré unfolded the letter without further ado and read aloud, "Monsieur is very sorry for hurting his innocent son. He shouldn't have done that. He is a fool and a coward. He should be punished severely for lying to him." She paused to see Adrian's reaction.

The boy was silent, his face buried on the pillow.

"However, he did it for a reason." Audré resumed her reading, "Monsieur understands that Adrian wants to have a baby sibling but he is unable to provide it now. Why? Because…" Audré paused with a dramatic flourish.

"Because?" Adrian piped quietly.

"Because Monsieur doesn't have a home where his kids can live." Audré read the letter, "He has one in England, the one told Adrian about in the festival but Adrian and his Mama both want to live in France, with their families and until Monsieur manages to buy a home for his family in Paris, there is no way he can think about giving Adrian a little sibling. Where will the poor baby live?" she asked Adrian.

"She can live here." Adrian sat up, his eyes tearful, "I'll be her big brother. She'll live with Mama and me."

'Lies after lies after lies.' Hermione shook her head in disbelief, 'Does the bastard think he can make me have his baby if he buys Adrian a home?'

"Well, that's right." Audré agreed, "But that's not possible, my little man." she shook her head, "Why? I'll tell you later but first let me finish this letter." she looked down at the letter again, "Where will the poor baby stay?" she resumed, "Monsieur was ashamed to admit the truth to his son and therefore he lied about babies."

'Lie again.' Hermione snorted, 'Telling Adrian the truth has nothing to do with his inability to purchase a home. Besides, he is never going to succeed and there is no way Adrian isn't going to find out the truth about baby making when he grows up. He'll hate you even more then, Draco 'liar' Malfoy.'

'Exactly!' Hermione's inner voice said inside her head, 'See how my idea worked perfectly.'

'Yeah!' Hermione agreed, finally seeing the plot, 'You want me to have Adrian around Malfoy so that he can catch his blunders like he did today.'

'Yes and also to make him realize that Adrian can never be his.' The voice added.

'Perfect!' Hermione thought gleefully, 'Brilliant! What didn't I think that before?'

'Because you were traumatized, Hermione, don't blame yourself for it.' The voice replied reasonably, 'Now listen to the rest of the letter.'

"Monsieur is very sorry and he apologizes sincerely." Audré was reading, "If his little son is kind enough to forgive him like last time, he asks him to please send him a reply on the other side of this letter. Otherwise, Monsieur can never forgive himself. Sincerely, Draco Malfoy."

'Thanks Merlin, he didn't say that he will commit suicide.' Hermione thought, elated, "Aunt, you said you'd say something about Adrian's little sister not being able to live with us." She reminded her.

"Yes, I did." Audré smiled and winked at Hermione, "But before that Adrian needs to know the truth about baby making. Don't you, Adrian?"

"Yes." Adrian nodded eagerly, "The unicorn lady thought I was stupid when I told her that babies come from Chocolate Frog."

"Unicorn lady?" Audré gave Hermione a stunned look, "Anyways, here is the big truth about babies." She said and Adrian sat up straight, "But before I proceed, I want this gentleman in proper clothes." She pointed at his half naked form.

Adrian jumped from the bed, ran to his closet, opened the door and disappeared inside. He came out seconds later pulling a red T-shirt over his head and sat between Hermione and Audré, looking at the elder woman expectedly.

"Babies, Adrian, need a papa and a maman to be born." Audré started and Hermione was curious to know how she was going to explain the adult thing in kid friendly way, "The papa gives his seed to the baby and the maman gives it her egg."

"Like the seeds Gwyn eats?" Adrian asked referring to the safflower seeds the bird took, "And egg is like the egg I eat for breakfast?"

"Almost." Audré replied, "Except for that they are very very very tiny. You can't see them with naked eyes. So, when this seed and this egg meet inside a special place in maman a baby is born. That special place is called maman's womb."

"Monsieur told me that." Adrian said, looking intrigued, "He told me that baby grows inside Mama until he is ready to come out."

"Yes and it comes out though a passage called birth canal." Audré added, "That's it, Adrian. The truth about babies."

"But how do the seed gets to the egg?" Hermione closed her eyes and winced as her son asked the most crucial question.

"Well that's through a magic called love." Audré replied simply, "When papa loves maman, his seeds automatically finds their way to her egg. It is love that makes a baby, Adrian. Otherwise, you can pour all the seeds Gwyn eats on your breakfast egg and babies will be born from that too."

"Oh!" Adrian tilted his head and turned his head to Hermione, "Mama did you love Monsieur?"

Hermione gaped at her son, speechless.

"Mama loved you Adrian." Audré replied in Hermione's stead, "So you came to her."

"But you said papa has to love maman." Adrian reminded her, "My Mama doesn't like Monsieur. She doesn't love him. Monsieur also fought Mama because she was not pureblood."

Hermione sighed defeatedly. Dealing with kids could be so difficult sometimes.

"But they both love you and that's what matters the most." Audré supplied, looking very comfortable with the truth, "The thing is there must be love when making a baby. Your Mama loved you then and your papa loves you now. So you are here." She shrugged.

"But I don't like him." Adrian said, looking sullen, "He is creepy and he lies." He turned to Hermione again, "Mama, you will not take any seeds from him." He declared.

Surprise after surprise after surprise. Hermione didn't know what to say to this remark.

"I don't think she will." Audré commented evenly, "But Monsieur is right when he says he needs to have a home before he can think of babies. That's a universal truth, Adrian. Papa and maman make a home and have babies. It's everywhere in nature. Look at Hedwig. Even her papa and maman made a nest somewhere before she was born." She explained.

"Oh!" Adrian tilted his head sideways, "Okay. I understand now. I am not stupid. But I am not letting Mama take seeds from Monsieur. I don't like him."

Hermione wanted to vanish into thin air. It was so embarrassing.

"We'll talk about Monsieur later, okay?" Audré offered, "Right now I want to see what my grandson has won at the festival." She opened the packages and within minutes Adrian was lost in cheerful conversation about the Trick and Treat festival.

Relieved to some extent, Hermione left the bed and walked into her balcony.

Being her son's mother, Hermione knew that the subject of the babies wasn't over yet. It would return soon and she prayed that she was well prepared at that time.

•••••

Draco burst into his room and almost lunged at the radio, turning it on to listen what was happening in Hermione's quarter.

Adrian's words were still ringing in his ears and like a sharp knife it was cutting down his heart into minuscule pieces.

'I don't care. You lied to me and I don't like you. You hurt Mama. You fought with her. You are creepy and you lie. I don't like you. I like uncle Alexis. He was going to be my papa.'

'You are creepy and you lie.'

'I don't like you.'

'I like uncle Alexis. He was going to be my papa.'

Draco let out an anguished cry and kicked hard on the bedstead.

"No! No! This is not happening to me! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING TO ME!" he exclaimed and slumped on the floor, burying his face in his hands.

It was so painful that he found it difficult to even breathe. The morning had been so different with him laughing with Hermione and Adrian. He had even dressed himself carefully to show Hermione that he cared about them. But the woman was so disinterested to even look at him. Throughout the whole day, he had been careful not to disturb them. He knew his words vexed Hermione and therefore he had been silent, watching them as Adrian played through different tricks to win treats. He had admired him for his brilliance in solving problems, his physical strength in running and his concentration in aiming and achieving his goal. The boy was a perfect combination of his parents, both of whom were their bests in their respective Houses.

But after the encounter with that pregnant woman everything started going spirally downwards. Adrian had ran off from the festival, accused him of lying and told him flat on his face that he wanted Alexis as his 'papa'.

Draco didn't know what to do.

His first reaction had been to bolt down to Audré and explaining her everything briefly. He then penned an apology letter to Adrian and pledged her to deliver it to him with the treats that were left behind by Hermione in hurry.

Now he was waiting to hear what the outcome was.

"May I come in?" he heard Audré's voice came through the speaker.

"Yes, aunt." Hermione responded next.

"Did the bats tear off Creepy Carrot's costume?" Audré asked, mildly surprised and Draco clutched the radio as if his life depended on it, "Or did he tear them himself when he came last at the competition?"

He kept listening to the conversation that wound around his own letter being read out by Audré and then the truth about baby making. He listened in amazement how Audré explained it to Adrian in very simple. It was not until Adrian's question about his papa loving his maman came through the speaker that threw him off guard.

Was that his five and half year old son asking his mother about it?

He couldn't imagine himself asking such questions to his own mother!

He almost bit his tongue, horrified to think what the truth was. But it was Audré again who came to rescue. In simple words, she explained to Adrian that his mother loved him and therefore he was born.

But it was the last declaration from Adrian that ran a silver stake through his already battered heart.

'Mama, you will not take any seeds from him.'

It was the deathblow to his dreams. Not that he had imagined having more kids with Hermione but the way Adrian said that, it sounded like he would let go of his dreams of having siblings just because they would be born from a man who was a liar.

Desperate for a hope in darkness, Draco remembered his mother Narcissa's words.

'Black for a Black. Till the end. That is the price for my crimes, Draco. The price of my lies. My pride. My wrong beliefs. The price of me failing as a mother. That's the path for me. Atonement.'

He had wondered what would be his price for atonement.

Now he knew.

It was insult for insult.

Humiliation for humiliation.

Pain for pain.

And sacrifice for sacrifice.

Maybe that was the path for him. Dominique had been right. It was long way to go but Draco knew in his mind that there was no way he would retreat thinking that he could never succeed.

Wasn't he the one who repaired the Vanishing Cabinet when everyone thought he would fail?

Hasn't he let go of his old beliefs about pureblood supremacy and his crime?

Didn't he just get a cottage just like Hermione wanted it to be?

Didn't he confess his crime to Dominique, something he thought was never possible?

If he could do all those things then why can't he make Adrian and Hermione change their opinion of him?

With hard work and dedication everything was possible. He just needed to have patience. The damage he inflicted on Hermione had longstanding implications. She wasn't going to forget it all too soon. But if she was given a chance and if he could keep his patience until she was ready to let go of the past for the sake of their son, there was still hope.

'There is still some hope, Draco, there is still some hope.' He thought, his earlier confidence returning, 'Don't give them up. It's what that demon wants you to do. Don't bow before him, Draco, don't bow before him.'

'You'll not get them, Draco.' the voice replied immediately, telling him that it was still alive, 'I told you, Draco, Adrian will never accept you. Neither will his Mudblood mother. You saw it yourself today.'

'What I saw was what happens if someone lies to his innocent son.' Draco countered, 'It served me right. I shouldn't have lied to him.'

'Being Saint Malfoy?' the voice cackled, 'But remember, Draco, this is not you. This is not the original you.'

'Then let me find out what I truly am.' Draco said resolutely, turning off the radio, 'I am not letting them go. No. No matter what happens, demon, no matter how hard I have to work, how far I have to go, how many times they hurt or insult me, I am not letting their hope go. They are mine and I'll get them. They are the reason I live.'

'Happy hunting, Draco.' the voice taunted him and was gone.

Draco closed his eyes and rubbed his face wearily.

Getting Hermione and Adrian was difficult, not impossible. And even if it was impossible, he knew such a word didn't exist in his dictionary anymore. He was the man now, not the boy. And he wasn't going to fail this time.

Not anymore.

TO BE CONTINUED IN NEXT CHAPTER…