Chapter 3

That sinking feeling

Hermione had marginally calmed down since Ginny had explained the arrangement that Narcissa and Andromeda had made with her and Harry concerning Teddy.

Apparently Narcissa had reconnected with Andy since the war and had tried to get Draco to soften up – without him knowing – by having him spend time with Teddy every second Saturday of the month. Normally Andromeda would hand Teddy off but since she had been sick all week, Ginny had to negotiate the arrangements.

"I still don't like the fact that you hid this from me, Ginny." Hermione said exasperatedly when they arrived at The Burrow after their shopping trip. "I feel… lied to."

Ginny shook her head and pushed open the door to the new house in which the Weasley patriarch and matriarch - and sometimes the rest of the family - resided.

It still had some of the elements of the old house but everyone had contributed to the repair and upgrade of Molly and Arthur's home.

"Ginny?" they heard the matriarch call from the living room. "Darling, is Hermione with you?"

"Yes, Molly." Hermione replied with a smile as she set Teddy to his feet. He hurried towards Ron and Harry's voices as quickly as his three year old legs could carry him.

Molly came bustling in and hugged the girls tightly before letting go. "Would you mind helping with dinner? We'll be at full capacity tonight and Arthur, Ron and Harry aren't ideal chefs."

Hermione laughed, "I'll just go put the days spendings in Ginny's room."

Molly nodded and ushered her daughter to the direction of the stove. Hermione moved into the sitting room and smiled at the sight of Harry with Teddy on his shoulders, running around the room and making airplane noises – much to the delight of the giggling three-year-old Metamorphmagus.

"Be careful, Harry." Hermione warned, "If he gets hurt I will have your own fiancée Bat Bogey you."

Harry slowed his running and grinned sheepishly at his best friend, "Sorry, Hermione."

Ron laughed and pulled Hermione closer by her hips, "Good afternoon to you too."

"Hi." Hermione smiled, cupping his cheek gently as his lips moved closer to hers. He kissed her. Soft and slow and he tasted like November, like hot chocolate on stormy evenings and crisp autumn air. He was safe. Her kind of 'he-would-make-the-perfect-family-man' safe.

"I have to go help in the kitchen." She murmured slightly dreamily once they'd pulled apart enough for Harry's face to turn back to normal.

Ron nodded and took Teddy's shrunken pram and bag, "Go then, I'll put these away."

Hermione nodded and re-entered the kitchen, humming the Celestina Warbeck song that had been playing in Très Belle, a French-magical store that made and sold bouquets.

The following morning Hermione traipsed down to the kitchen in one of Ron's borrowed shirts, trying to tame her hair into an elastic that she'd found lying around in his room – she'd thought it odd at first but then consented it to be one of her own.

When she arrived in the kitchen she found Ginny standing with Teddy on her hip and a letter in her hands and, upon closer inspection, Hermione could see the St. Mungo's seal on it.

"'Mi!" Teddy squealed, making Ginny jump and drop the letter before looking up at Hermione like a deer caught in headlights.

Her cheeks began reddening and Hermione's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's the matter?"

"N-Nothing." Ginny cleared her throat and set a bouncing Teddy down. "Nothing."

Hermione watched her pick up the letter and shred it, turning around to toss it in the rubbish before turning back to face her again with a smile. "Breakfast?"

She reminded herself to push the matter of the letter but nodded at Ginny's offer for now.

"Merlin, Granger, don't you own clothes?" a condescending voice droned from behind them and Hermione turned to find Blaise Zabini leaning against the doorframe. He was smirking down at her bare legs like he'd won something and, suddenly, Hermione felt very harassed.

"Yes, Zabini, I do," she replied smoothly. "The fact that I'm not wearing much of them is none of your business to comment upon."

Zabini laughed melodiously and turned to Ginny, "I'm here for Potter. They need him at the office."

Ginny nodded grimly and sauntered from the room, leaving Hermione with Zabini. She very quickly gathered the now brunette boy in her arms and held him close, glaring at Zabini with untrusting eyes.

"Motherhood would suit you, Grangie." The Slytherin mused thoughtfully, "He's rather quite fond of you… from what Potter tells me."

"Tells you much, does he?" Hermione snapped, raising her chin; Teddy just kept on playing with a stray curl behind her ear.

"Not much," Blaise shrugged. "Enough."

Hermione opened her mouth to respond when a pair of arms wrapped around her torso, "Mind your own, Zabini."

Another laugh echoed throughout the room and Zabini raised his hands innocently at Ron, "I'll just wait outside, shall I?"

Ron made a guttural noise and turned Hermione to face him, "Pants."

Hermione blushed and handed Teddy off, knowing that he needed to cool down before he could form sentences again. Her trip up the stairs gave her a perfect view of Zabini in the garden, lighting up a cigarette and taking a slow, thoughtful drag from it. His eyes travelled up to hers and she jumped, moving away from the window as quick as a snitch. She didn't know why, but something about the way his lips had curled around the fag had reminded her terribly of Draco Malfoy.

She shook her head and swallowed thickly, continuing her trek to Ron's room.

Once she had dressed appropriately for a Sunday morning, she made her way back downstairs. Ron was feeding Teddy, Ginny and Molly were making eggs and bacon whilst Fleur toasted bread. George and Bill argued soundly at the end of the large rectangular table about something or another and Percy and Audrey, his fiancée, were cooing at each other as Arthur watched with an amused smirk.

"Morning Hermione." Audrey smiled. "Good sleep?"

"Yes, thank you." Hermione smiled; she sat beside Ron and kissed his cheek, making cross-eyes at Teddy to get him to open his mouth.

"Did you have a dream?" Audrey pressed on, smiling serenely.

Hermione glanced up at the slight blonde woman with her piercing green eyes again and nodded somewhat reluctantly. Everyone was weary of Audrey… especially Hermione.

If you could comprehend how seeing a Marilyn Monroe movie can affect a person, you might understand Audrey Rosier a fraction better. She was beautiful. She had that kind of beauty that you glimpse once at a bus stop or in the park and remember forever. She was rather very lovely.

She knew it, too.

How, after all, could she not know? She was the essence of spring, a goddess of nature. Every time she appeared the day never ended and smiles never faded. She was a siren leading everyone to sudden happiness. Her golden hair draped down softly curling along the ends to her perfectly smooth porcelain skin, a fact which she attributed to a ritual of lemon and honey tea and meditation but was, in reality, probably more closely related to good fortune in the genetic lottery. A Rosier trait.

None to the fact that she had been a Slytherin of moderate talent and average grades, she projected an air of perfection. She had delicate hands, thick black eyelashes, a small, elegant nose, and – though short – a willowy build. Her voice was soft and musical; so much so that she could make the most mundane piece of information sound positively thrilling... especially if her audience happened to be male.

She was a strict vegetarian, believed in something called "free love," and inevitably, exuded an manner of dreaminess that even Professor Trelawney would have killed for.

Then again, Hermione might have been over-exaggerating in her calculation of the woman, but she wouldn't say it aloud. She just stared at Audrey and Audrey stared back, as if she knew Hermione's inner musings and found subtle pleasure in it.

"Love?" Ron asked, poking her in the cheek with the spoon. "My mother asked you a question."

Hermione and Audrey simultaneously looked up at the Weasley matriarch but it was Hermione who responded with a small 'yes?'

"I was just wondering if you'll be helping Audrey and Fleur arrange the hen party for Ginny." Molly said stirring the eggs with a small spatula.

"Yes." Hermione nodded. "Yes, of course."

Molly nodded, "Ron, dear, finish up with Teddy. Malfoy'll be here in a minute and he still needs a bath."

"Doubt we'll be able to bathe him in a minute, mum." Ron sniggered, but sobered up with a glare from both Ginny and Hermione. "I'll just go finish up then."

The sun was at its peak and now Hermione stood with a three-year old on her hip, paint in her hair from his fingers and a very irritable expression on her face.

"He's late."

"We're just early." Ginny said. "He'll be here if he knows what's good for him."

"Vegetables and water, regular exercise and no smoking." A familiar voice emerged from behind a tree and Hermione looked up in time to find him taking Teddy from her grasp. "Looking good, Granger... The paint really brings out the pallor of your complexion."

Hermione crossed her arms and turned away sharply, allowing Ginny to hand the rest of Teddy's things to the infuriating blonde man behind her.

"I'll drop him off at Andy's tomorrow at ten." Malfoy smiled at Ginny. "Thanks Weasley. Send my regards to Potty and the family, will you?"

Ginny didn't respond, she too just turned on her heel and strode towards Hermione, rolling her eyes as she heard Teddy's excited squeal and Malfoy's disapparition'pop'.