Charlie was tapping his hands on the steering wheel as he was driving and listening to the radio. Hermione was checking her emails on her phone and Teddy was waving his fingers along with the music. She was especially stressed today. Her car's transmission died, and now she was on the hunt for a new one. Luckily, Charlie has been attached at the hip… in some cases quite literally.
"Thank you for driving me to work today," she said with a smile over to him.
Charlie smirked and chanced running his hand over her hair. "Not a problem, sweets. You do your boss lady thing today, and I will be by tonight. We will get your car situation squared away this week."
They had a comfortable- friendship? No, but a relationship was stretching it. Their problem with getting serious was difficult. He was due to receive orders any time in the next month and quite possibly would be stationed in another country for a while. He wanted more; she did not. The last thing she desired was to have a man pining for her overseas while he could have any woman he very well chose. Ron begrudgingly flung that in her face when they were caught snogging in the bathroom last week at dinner.
"Did you know that Mr. Malfoy has superpowers, Uncle Charlie?" Teddy inquired, and Charlie laughed.
"Really now? I will have to meet this bloke then."
Hermione sighed heavily, and the Weasley glanced over at her. "Feeling alright? He isn't mistreating you, is he? I have no problems beating up a blind man if he is hurting you."
"No, he is being professional." Lie.
"Alright, but you let me know if he acts out. I will sucker punch him." Charlie announced and Teddy giggled.
"Draco Malfoy is nothing but professional," lie again. "But I will tell you, hero," she said with a smile – she coined calling him hero after he saved her shoe from under the bed as a joke, it just stuck now.
"Always, sweets. You are too tasty to be sad," Charlie replied and pulled her hand to his mouth to kiss it.
She adored Charlie. He was tender. Protective. Loving. All the beautiful things that anyone would want. However, she was concerned with his departure, and that kept her heart guarded.
They pulled up the driveway and Charlie whistled. "Holy ballocks, this place is huge. Mum would go insane with frustration at the amount of cleaning this house must take."
He parked next to the red Cadillac who's to Hermione's disgust, Astoria was saying goodbye to Draco. Hermione glanced back at Teddy and smiled. "When you drive by pop your head out and say hello to your Great Aunt Cissa, alright?"
"Love, come around and say goodbye to me?" he asked with a smirk as she unbuckled.
Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes. "Alright, hero, I will take the bait."
She climbed out of the car and opened the back door to kiss Teddy goodbye. "You behave for Uncle Charlie and no more punching him. Just because he says he's Wolverine doesn't mean you don't hurt him." Hermione kissed her son's forehead. "I love you more than all the stars, Teddy Bear."
He hugged her around the neck and sighed. "I love you too, mum. See you after work."
Hermione shut the door and rounded the car to Charlie's side. His window was down, and she leaned in. "So what did you want to-" he pressed his lips to hers, and she moaned gently as his fingers ran through her hair.
Her fingers traced his jawline over his facial hair, and she smirked when they parted. "I just needed a sugar high before I dash off." He said with charm, and she laughed. "Five sharp?"
"Five sharp. I should be done quick enough," Hermione replied, and he tugged on a ringlet.
"You give me a call if you need me," he whispered and sighed. "I hate leaving you here without a car."
"I will be fine. If I have to run to town, I will ask," she responded, and Charlie pecked her lips once more.
The Cadillac backed up, and Astoria waved as she pulled out. Leaving Draco to stand there with his mother. Hermione backed up and fluttered her hand after blowing the two men in her life kisses. Charlie drove by slowly, and Teddy's window went down. "Hi, Aunt Cissa! Hi, cousin Draco," he exclaimed.
Narcissa giggled. "Hello, Edward. I hope to see you soon," she told the boy who nodded furiously.
"I miss you, goodbye!" he declared, and Charlie pulled out of the driveway and onto the street.
"Dropping you off at work, Granger? Must be a special man," Draco growled and snapped. "We are late, let's go."
Hermione scrubbed her face, shaking her head at the long day ahead. Narcissa rolled her eyes at Hermione in agreement. He was an arsehole today. She followed him up the stairs without speaking. This was the new normal that she was accustomed to working in. He would be waiting for her. Draco was back to his flinty self since her escape all those weeks ago. Or maybe it was because she didn't receive his prank as well as he hoped. Perhaps it was because this was the new norm due to her alias change. Who understood Draco bloody Malfoy.
They walked into the office, and Hermione opened up the curtains. "May I remind you, I told you not to wear that perfume," he spat as he lumbered into his chair. "It hurts my nose, and I don't like the scent."
Charlie had gotten it for her as an early birthday gift, which Draco knew that. "And I told you if you don't like it then you can stick my arse in the shower and make me wash it off," she retorted and sat down at the desk.
"So, taking your relationship with another Weasley to the next level?" he mused as she was signing into the computer.
"Not that it is any of your business, but we aren't labeling it. Charlie might get stationed in another country, and I don't want him to suffer," she said with a warning tone. "He is a good man, Malfoy."
"Maybe an ill-timed p-" she interrupted him with a growl, and his eyebrows shot up.
"Do not finish that sentence or I will slap you, Malfoy. That is crossing a line you do not want to. Your problems with the Weasleys are not my own. You do not own me, Draco Malfoy," she responded with a deadly low tone.
There was silence, and Draco hated it. He couldn't stop the word diarrhea that has been leaving his mouth for weeks. Ever since he found out, through Nott, that she was snogging the military Weasley a month ago in his club. Nott described it with a delicate detail of her straddling the man and gyrating like a cat in heat. Was he jealous? Maybe a little… just a little bit. A tiny bit. He knew he was lying to himself on the amount.
Of course, she wanted a man who could do the things he couldn't. Mainly? See her. "There is an email here from Regulus. It has to do with a big event."
"Tell me," he ordered, and she snorted.
"Yes, sire," she said with a sardonic tone. "A big dinner party. It is on the nineteenth," she murmured, and Draco hemmed.
"Your birthday," he mused, and he heard her breath hitch.
"You remember when my birthday is?"
"Certainly. When I mentioned it to my mother, she wanted to throw you a party."
Hermione tapped the desk; a tell of hers. She was nervous. "You told your mother when my birthday is?"
"Granger, why wouldn't I? Birthdays are a big deal to her. She probably already has your present on special order. I bought mine two weeks ago for you."
Her chair squeaked, and she hemmed. "It is a big suit and tie event. Should I tell him yes or no?"
"Will you come with me?"
He could hear her contemplate. It wasn't necessarily a sound as much as it was the lack of one. "Wouldn't Astoria go with you?"
"No, it is a work function. I would want you to come with me as my escort, so I don't have to bring my cane and look like a bloody fool. You best get used to it if we are going to schmooze with the board members. I need a competent escort who knows how to handle me."
"I have to make sure I have things situated for it," she said, her words cautious.
"RSVP and we will talk about it another day," He dismissed the subject with a wave.
"Draco, this is in almost two weeks."
"Exactly. You will be sending Teddy off to Hogwarts this weekend, and we can talk about it Monday when you aren't worried about your car troubles."
She rocked in the chair; he knew that he through her and mentally patted himself on the back for it. "Did you want me to call about reservations for the Greengrass dinner?" Hermione inquired, and he hemmed.
"Yes, make sure you and Teddy come. Teddy is family after all," he said, and Hermione snorted.
"Teddy will not take part in you marrying yourself off to a woman who clearly doesn't love you." She retorted, and her breath hitched after.
"I am going to ignore that. We talked about the nonessential feelings of love that come with this union," he snapped, and she exhaled.
"I am sorry, Malfoy. It wasn't meant to come out like that," she apologized, and her chair squeaked again.
He flicked his hand in the air. "If it was about love, don't you think I would choose someone who is loyal and honest to me? Not pining for a fucking Weasley!" he spat, and she huffed.
"Don't insult my family. They are all I have," she whispered, and he groaned.
"Sure, of course. All you have. Never mind my mother who practically coos over you and your son. Never mind my best mates who adore you to pieces. Sod it all! I am going outside," he growled and reached for his cane.
Draco heard her stand up and approach him. "Draco, I am sorry. I didn't mean to insult you and your family," she breathed, and he felt her fingers on his arm.
They were small and gentle. It made the Malfoy's skin bolster to attention, and his mind reflected on the curly-haired valedictorian. How her hair bounced under the pointed hat. How her smile was perfect with red-painted lips. "I am going outside," he repeated.
He felt her form press against him, and he embraced her with his free hand. "I didn't mean to say those things," she whispered, and he bobbed his head.
"I know. You aren't naturally cruel. I just need to gather my thoughts, and I'll return," Draco murmured and subtly smelt her hair; she had used her lavender with argon oil shampoo last night.
Hermione pulled away, and he heard her shift her suit jacket. "Alright, I am going to send off some emails."
Draco walked toward where he knew the doorway was. "Draco," she murmured, and he turned his ear toward her direction.
"Yes?"
"If your mother really wants to throw me a party, I will let her," she declared and his lips curved.
"She already has it in the works. I was going to figure out a fib for you to come here Saturday to a surprise party for you. Now, you ruined the surprise." He snickered, and Hermione gasped.
"Saturday? My birthday isn't for a week," she mumbled.
"My mother's idea so Teddy could be here to celebrate," he answered and thumped his cane.
"How did- wait, but-" she fumbled.
"She called Potter and reached out to Molly. Reluctantly she agreed to as long as Potter thought it was alright," He commented then chuckled. "It was interesting to listen in on."
"Thank you," she whispered, and he smirked before turning to leave.
He paused beyond the doorway and heard her breathing heavily and sigh. Draco liked that about her. He enjoyed that she was touched by small things. Things that he would have never indeed noted to do or say if he could see; he knew that much. His face scrunched up at the thought of Charlie Weasley, and he forced himself to leave the wing.
Draco knew he wasn't a bad guy per say. He has been staying with her a month, and the last time Teddy came over with Hermione for lunch on the weekend… he bragged extensively about Charlie. From the distinct tones in her voice when they would speak on the phone on her lunch, she enjoyed shagging him.
He got to the stairs, and he heard the shuffling of feet. "You want to explain this boy!" Mr. Greengrass voice entered the space.
Draco's shirt was tugged roughly. "Is there something I can do for you, Jerry?" He snickered, and the other man growled.
"You are telling me that you know the child isn't yours in a bloody email!" He snapped and a paper was shoved against Draco's face.
"Of course, I know that, Jerry. I am sterile," Draco purred, and the hand on his shirt was released.
"You are lying," he spat, and Draco laughed.
"Should I go get my medical records? I just tested everything recently," Draco offered, and the Greengrass was heard pacing. "She is having a Weasley, Jerry. DNA can confirm in three weeks. The timeline doesn't fit, and neither does her will to be with me. I don't mind making an announcement if you like." Draco declared, and he could hear Jerry groan.
"Malfoy, what do you want? Hush money?"
Draco scratched his chin and smirked. "I want you to break the contract. Instead of the percentage for breaking it, I want you to take that money and make sure you give it to the Weasley. Astoria deserves to be happy and still comfortable. That girl would not do with a small flat downtown. You do that, and we are square Greengrass."
"You are bloody insane! You want me to pay him to take my daughter?" Jerry asked incredulously.
"Yes, and I want it to be over the course of ten years. Her income for her child. You and my father were monstrous enough to force us into this… you are going to pay her for the damages, Jerry, rightfully. If you love her, you will do this. Otherwise, I will marry her, take your money and sue you for damages of me raising someone else's child. That is one of the breaches of contract, is it not? I knew this from the beginning that you were forcing her to come here and claim it was mine. She and I had it out long before we announced the engagement. I played along long enough to get my records in place. I am more than willing to announce it at dinner tomorrow night if you like."
He could hear the Greengrass yanking at what was left of his hair, or possibly shifting his clothing, Draco wasn't sure. "You promise that our contract is fulfilled if I do that hellacious agreement?"
"Yes, and you are going to pay for a large wedding. Every pence out of your pocket."
"You are nothing like your father! You cheap excuse for flesh and bones. He would be turning in his-" a holler of pain was heard, interrupting his rant.
"Never insult my son in his home, do you understand?" Narcissa hissed. "Now, send over the contracts, and you better thank your gods that he is so lenient on you, Lord Greengrass. Get out of our house before I send for Ramsey to throw you out," Narcissa snapped, and the man scuffled.
"I will have the contracts sent over by the end of today," he said, and the door opened and shut swiftly.
"Did you slap him?" Draco asked with a smile.
"Yes, now I need to ice my hand," she grumbled, causing Draco to laugh in hysterics.
"Now, do you trust me, mother?"
He felt her hand on his cheek, and she sighed. "Draco, you did this all so she could be free?" His mother asked.
"Yes, I did. I wanted to make sure the things she really wanted for her wedding were already taken care. She deserves to be happy with the man she loves, mother."
Narcissa's lips landed on his free cheek. "You, my son, are an amazing man."
"She came clean the night I pickled myself. She had been seeing Weasley for almost a year and was afraid of what I would say. When she found out she was pregnant, she knew it was his because we hadn't… not for a long while," he finished as the heat rose from his cheeks.
"You lied this whole time for what?" Narcissa pulled away from him as he spoke.
"So I could get my documentation together. If anything, father was great at keeping records. I had our attorney go over it and tell me what clauses I could use to break the contract."
Narcissa giggled, and he could hear the rustling of her dress. "My son, you are too smart sometimes. Shall we get some tea to celebrate?"
"Something strong for me, I think. I just sent off the only woman who would stomach marrying me, mother," he huffed as he dragged his cane on the floor.
Narcissa tutted behind him as they walked. "Don't say that, Draco. That is silly. You are a fine man."
Draco exhaled heavily and bobbed his head as he felt the tile change as they enter the dining room. "You may be right, but love is blind, mother. I am just going to have a quick drink before I need to go back to Granger."
"Alright, son."
"Mother, don't tell her, alright? I don't want her to know yet," He whispered and Narcissa was silent.
"Draco," she said after a few moments.
"Promise me?" he asked and tapped his cane on the floor.
"I promise, Draco."