11 February, Friday, 2200 GMT
Harry had re-registered the fireplace in the Muggle home a couple of days after Ginny and Draco had returned to the Wizarding campus. Hermione had just gotten Drew to bed as she walked into the living room holding onto the baby monitor. She took a seat on the couch, flipping the television on and waited patiently.
o-o-o
16 January, Sunday, 2245 GMT
Draco was true to his word. After checking in with Headmistress McGonagall, putting up his stuff, and taking care of some Hogwarts' business, he headed to the top of Astronomy Tower. As he reached the open-air window, he smiled as the Muggle device automatically turned on.
It was a simple flip-phone identical to Hermione's; not one of those upscale smartphones that was chic at the moment. It did the basics: voicemail, internet, e-mail, still camera, video, and texting. If it were good enough for Hermione, it would be good enough for him.
The main screen wallpaper was a photo of Hermione holding Drew in her arms. He looked at the clock on the phone, 10:45 p.m. He smiled as he pressed the speed dial number 2, Hermione's wireless, and then the send button. He was getting the knack of the device.
Hermione had answered her phone after the first ring. "Hey," she said.
"Hey, yourself," Draco drawled. "I was afraid you had fallen asleep by now."
"No, just flipping through the tele," she said. "Did you get settled alright?"
"Yeah," he said. "Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall say, 'hi.'"
Hermione laughed. She took a breath, "What time is breakfast tomorrow?"
"The usual, between 7 and 8:15," Draco said, shutting his eyes.
"You should get some sleep, Draco," she said.
"I miss you already."
"I miss you, too."
"I'll be back in another four weeks," he said, yawning.
"You just got there, Draco," she laughed.
"Yeah," he said, shutting his eyes. "I still miss you."
"Get some sleep. We'll talk later," Hermione said, laughing. "Goodnight, Draco."
"Goodnight," he said as he looked over the Black Lake. "I love you."
"I love you, too," she said before hanging up the phone.
Draco smiled at the device. He pocketed it into his robes before heading down the tower.
o-o-o
11 February, Friday, 2215 GMT
Hermione's head bobbed, as her eyelids fluttered. With a newborn in the house, her sleeping routine was a little out of kilter. She sat straight up on the couch. She heard the fire crackle and smiled as the fire glowed green. She stood up as he saw the former Slytherin smiling.
"Welcome home, Draco," she said softly as he pulled her into a long embrace.
"Merlin, you're beautiful," Draco said, as they broke the embrace.
"I've forgotten how charming you could be," she said, smiling at him.
He kissed her full on the mouth. She returned his kiss, which it seemed they held for quite a while.
Draco held her hips as he looked into her eyes. "I've missed you and Drew."
She smiled at him. She nodded toward the nursery. Draco would see Drew for the first time outside of the hospital. Draco held onto Hermione's hand as they walked to see their sleeping daughter.
o-o-o
They spent the whole weekend at home. Draco welcomed the peaceful and cozy time alone with Hermione. They doted on Drew the whole time.
Hermione had been authorized maternity leave until the end of March. The old Hermione would have probably requested a shorter time, opting to help out the hospital as soon as she would be able to. The current Hermione, given a new lease on life, welcomed and appreciated the gesture.
o-o-o
13 February, Sunday, 2145 GMT
Draco held Drew in his arms, watching her sleep. Both he and Hermione sat on the twin-sized bed. Draco looked at Hermione and smiled.
"I hate having to leave you alone like this," he said as he gave her cheek a kiss.
"I'm not alone," she smiled back at him as she touched the baby's arm.
They both stood up. Drew stirred a little, but went back to sleep. They brought her to her crib. Draco placed her onto the mattress. Hermione smiled at him.
Draco placed his hand in hers. He smiled at her. "I've been talking with Professor Serhumano, the current Muggle Studies teacher. He replaced Professor Burbage. He showed me some of his reference books."
Hermione nodded, trying to guess at what was on Draco's mind. "So what did you learn," she said, humoring him.
"I looked up some stuff in his medical journals," he said as Hermione sighed. "I read about this doctor from Spain, a Doctor Esteban Mago. He's got an experimental cancer drug he's testing."
"Draco," Hermione said as she held his face in her hands. "It's probably experimental for a reason. More often than not, the drug is either too expensive to market or way too dangerous."
Draco shrugged his shoulders as they walked out of the nursery. They stopped in front of the fireplace. "I guess I figured I'd leave no stone unturned."
"I know you mean well, Draco," she said, kissing him on the cheek. She looked into his eyes. "I've been given a reprieve. I just want to be able to spend as much time with Drew and you."
He kissed her on the mouth. She froze for a moment before kissing him back.
"I'll be alright, Draco," she said, once they finally broke the kiss.
Draco threw some floo powder onto the fire. He looked at her. "I'll be back for Spring Break."
She nodded her head. He squeezed her hand one last time. He mouthed, 'I love you,' before he stepped into the fire. He threw more floo powder onto the flames and said the name of the Wizarding school and vanished.
Hermione gulped. She loved him for trying. She went back to the nursery where she was going to sleep for the night.
o-o-o
Hermione treaded cautiously with Drew. She kept to the old wives' tale of keeping the child away from visitors for at least the first month, not leaving home unless it was a visit to the pediatrician's office or the Potters' for Sunday dinner.
Hermione was never much for gossip but it was hard to ignore. She looked forward to the Sunday dinners. She hardly ever went into the Wizarding World, so she took advantage of the dinners by catching up on the goings-on. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley always filled her in. But the other avenue that was there was the Daily Prophet and the musings of one Rita Skeeter.
o-o-o
6 March, Sunday, 2100 GMT
Mrs. Weasley held Drew in her arms rocking her. Harry and Mr. Weasley had just reentered the room after putting James and Ronda to bed. Ginny was at Hogwarts; it was an off weekend.
Hermione glanced down at the Wizarding newspaper in front of her. The front page showed a headline for the Lifestyles Section that caught her eye; a column about the most eligible wizard in Wizarding Britain. Hermione tried to be nonchalant about looking through the paper. Looking deliberately through the Front Page, the Sports Section and then to the Lifestyles Section.
Mrs. Weasley chuckled. Hermione rolled her eyes before reading on.
Slippery Serpent: Draco Malfoy, Wizarding Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor
By Rita Skeeter
One of the most enigmatic young bachelors in recent history, Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune has shown himself to be multi-faceted. Once labeled as a ruthless follower of the Dark Lord, he is now trumpeted as one of the heroes of the recent Wizarding War. A spy turned professor, this handsome, rugged, chiseled and quite fit, platinum blonde would turn the head of any eligible bachelorette witch.
So, we wonder, who has him twirled around her little finger. We asked several of his mates who have known him since his schoolboy days at the famed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Blaise Zabini, a former Slytherin Housemate, turned Ministry Obliviator said this about his old friend when asked if he knew whom the former Head Boy was seeing, "Draco's not much for kissing and telling. I've no clue who he is seeing. But I'm sure he's happy with whomever it is."
Pansy Parkinson Zabini, another former Slytherin turned Ministry Inspector, had this to say about her old crush, "Whoever ends up with Draco is a very lucky witch."
Gregory Goyle, one of Draco's best friends as well as a mediwizard at Hogwarts, shared this with us, "I work with the lad. I've known him since even before stepping onto the campus together when we were eleven. He can keep a secret as good as anyone can. Besides, his love life is none of anyone's business but his."
"The personal lives of our staff are theirs to speak of. If you really want to find out, you should go to the source," said the old Head Mistress of Hogwarts, Professor Minerva McGonagall, "Get it straight from the 'Serpent's tongue,' I think is the phrase that Muggles would use."
So I did ask the former Head Boy from Slytherin House turned Potions professor the million galleon question, "What lucky Pure-blood witch was he snogging now?" The young wizard merely gave one of his charming smiles and said, "I've since learned not to kiss and tell, Ms. Skeeter." Asked whether it bothered him that Roxanne Schield had found a new beau in Kellen Tanner, he tactfully responded, "I'm happy for the both of them."
So the young wizard was quite tight-lipped about any new escapades he was having, nor was he vindictive about losing his former lover. Under what sort of spell does this new enchantress of his have him? We hope to find out soon.
"Interesting reading, huh," Harry said, wiggling his eyebrows as he took a seat next to her.
"Yeah," she said, giving him a half-smile.
"Draco always knew how to work the press," he said as he took the paper from her hands. She sighed. "You know, you could always go talk to Rita yourself, you know, have her get it 'straight from the lioness' mouth.'"
"Very funny, Harry," Hermione said.
"I'm sure Draco will share the relationship when you both are ready," Harry said.
"What do you think his parents will say?" Hermione asked softly.
"Oh, Hermione, really," Mrs. Weasley said as she placed the sleeping child onto the blanket that was placed on the floor. "What does it matter what Lucius or Narcissa think."
"They're his parents," she said, looking at the others. "He loves them."
Mrs. Weasley put her arm around her shoulder. She looked at the younger witch. "Draco loves you, too. And if the elder Malfoys can't understand that, then it's their problem."
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," she said as the older witch nodded at her.
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