Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable work. Sometimes I wonder if Jo wrote ff if she would post a disclaimer though. Ha.

A/N: A little bit of talk of pregnancy loss in this one pm me if you don't want to read but would like a rundown, I understand! Again, more medical stuff in here. Not brit picked so excuse any errors though since no one called me out on anything glaringly obvious last time...

Ten

The rest of her day flew by in a flurry of meetings and cases and by the time she was ready to go home she wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and hide under her duvet. Instead, she headed to Harry and Ginny's and snuggled baby Jamie while Ginny took a shower and Harry made dinner. She ate more than her share of food and studiously avoided any questions from the couple in question about certain aspects of her life- namely the father of her unborn child.

When she arrived home, she hardly had the energy to tidy up and, despite her enjoyment of doing things the muggle way, she unashamedly pulled out her wand and set things to work as she curled up on the sofa and watched the news.

She had only just stood up when her floo chimed out, letting her know someone was calling and she leaned over just as Charlie's head appeared in the fireplace.

"Oh good, you're awake!" he said as he saw her. "I just got back but I had to let you know that your source finally come forward. She met today with one of the MACUSA representatives and another of my colleagues."

"That's great!" she supplied, "And what happened?"

Charlie sighed and shook his head before he looked over his shoulder, "Sorry, I'm bunking at mum and dad's tonight and-"

Hermione chuckled, "I'll open the floo if you want."

Charlie grinned, "That'd be great." His head disappeared and Hermione picked up her wand once more to open up the floo just in time for him to appear in her grate. "So as I was saying-"

Hermione listened with rapt attention as Charlie explained the details of the case he was working on and the leads they had explored while he was away. At some point during his explanation Hermione's feet had found their way into his lap as he rubbed at the tired joints there and her eyes began to grow heavy.

"Hermione?" he asked and she realized she had stopped really paying attention.

"Sorry," she wrinkled her nose.

"S'alright. Everything okay?"

She breathed, moving to sit up more and shifting her feet back on the floor. "Yes and no… I talked to Malfoy. More I mean. I just- I wonder if I did the right thing by telling him. I don't want him to be involved only because of some archaic pureblood ideals about blood relations. A part of me wonders if it would have been better just to keep it to myself but then people would have assumed and-"

"And you are too noble to let poor Ronald take the fall even though the wanker probably deserves it," Charlie laughed, eliciting a grin from her. "Look, I'm not saying that I know Malfoy, or that I really want to, but I think… I think you did the right thing. A child deserves to know their father, to know their parents, no matter what. And no matter what that child will always be a Malfoy. But you know what? It's also half you and it can't do much better than that. Now, do I think Malfoy is a floppy wanded-"

"Charlie!" Hermione laughed.

The man smiled, changing directions,"I can't say he'll be everything that baby needs but… even if he isn't you aren't alone Hermione. You never have to be alone. You know you're family, no matter what."

Hermione smiled and looked down, letting a tear cascade down her cheek before Charlie reached out, chucking his finger under her chin to lift her face up to his and wiped it away. "How about we forget about this for tonight? Ron was telling me about a movie you have that he thought I would like… something about dragons and the underground?"

Hermione grinned, knowing exactly what movie he was talking about as she got up to find it and pushed all thoughts of Draco Malfoy out of her head as she sat down with her friend to watch a film.

The movie was terrible, one of the cheesy awful films Hermione liked to keep around for days just like that and when her eyes grew heavy as Charlie expressed his outrage of the treatment and inaccuracies of the dragons in the film she let them close.

When next she woke the sound of bacon frying seemed to call to her and she chuckled as she felt the baby flip flop within her as she sat up, her stomach growling.

"Charlie?"

"In here," he called from the kitchen, "Hope you don't mind I thought I'd make you some breakfast since everyone in England knows you're hungry.

"Shut up," she laughed as her stomach grumbled again.

"Told you." Charlie added from the kitchen. "Also, I would like to point out this is the second time you've fallen asleep on me."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she stood up and stretched her back before heading back to use the loo and ready herself for her day. She was just coming back into the living room when her floo chimed and without so much as a thought she opened it up. It wasn't until he stepped out, covered in soot and ash and looking so out of place in her flat, that she stopped.

"Malfoy-" she said.

"Granger," he replied in greeting. "I hope I'm not intruding…"

"No, I-"

"Hey is it Harry or Gin- Malfoy?" Charlie asked as he appeared in the kitchen with a plate in his hand.

"Weasley," Malfoy said cordially though his voice was tight before he turned back to Hermione. "I was hoping you would have a moment to spare this morning."

"I- I mean-yes. I do," Hermione said with a nod.

The atmosphere in the room was tense and heavy like a thick, woolen blanket, before Charlie finally cleared his throat, "I've put a warming charm on your plate 'Mione. I- have to go check on some new hatchlings this morning."

"Alright," Hermione said as she watched him cross the room and slide his feet into his shoes before he moved over to her.

"You'll be alright?" he asked quietly, looking her square in the eyes. She nodded, glancing at Malfoy out of the corner of her eye. The red-haired man seemed to accept it and he reached out, grasping her arms in his hands as he leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek.

She wouldn't have thought much of it, a kiss between friends, but as he pulled away she saw the smirk on his face as he looked over to where Malfoy was standing as though he had just stolen a chocoball right out from under his nose. Her stomach tightened then, a knot forming in her throat, because Charlie was her friend and it wasn't supposed to be like that with him.

She watched as he left, noting that she needed to talk with him sooner or later before she turned back to Malfoy."Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, that would be nice, thank you," he said with a nod and Hermione turned on her heel.

Of course she knew she was stalling but she couldn't bring herself to care as she pulled out the mugs and the kettle and put on some water, taking her time doing it the muggle way. It wasn't until she turned around and saw Draco Malfoy standing in front of her refrigerator, staring at the string of photos there that her courage returned.

"Did your mother give you the other copies?" she asked lightly and he turned as though startled by her question.

"Yes, she did," he said quietly before he turned back to the photos, "Though honestly I don't quite know what I'm looking at."

Hermione smiled at that and moved a little closer, pulling the string of photos down from the magnet and holding it in front of her as she pointed out the body parts that were shown in each photograph. She was surprised as she finished to look over and see the ghost of a smile on the man's lips before he cleared his throat- and it vanished.

"Why are you here?" she asked him as she turned to put the photos back up, grimacing slightly at the harsh sound of her words.

He turned to look at her then, their eyes meeting in the small square of her kitchen and she felt it again, that same pull from all those months ago. The same static charge that seemed to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"It's true that any child of mine will be an heir, it's outdated and archaic but there isn't anything I can do to change it," he said finally, quietly. "But I meant what I said, I don't want an out Granger. When I was talking to Daphne the baby started to move, to kick her and she reached out and grabbed my hand and made me feel and- well I thought of you. It took me back to see you standing there in my house as soon as I did. I just- I wondered if the baby you're carrying moved so much."

Hermione nodded, "She does." she paused and then before she could stop herself, "More so when you're around, when you speak."

The corner of his lips pulled up again and though it passed quickly Hermione almost thought it counted as a smile."I'm not- and don't take this the wrong way but are you certain-"

"Yes," she sighed, "There's been no one else Malfoy. Not since… not since Ronald and even months before that. I understand your hesitance but-"

"Alright," He said quietly.

"Alright?"

The man nodded, meeting her gaze with his own and she saw nothing but sincerity reflected there before he turned to look back at the photo string once more, "When is your appointment?"

"Tuesday at half-ten."

The man nodded before he looked back at her once more his voice firm but quiet as he spoke, "I'll be there."

"I honestly don't see how someone would need so many things-" Ginny was saying as she thumbed through a muggle parenting magazine, her eyes partially glazed over as baby Jamie slept snuggly strapped against her chest. Hermione wanted to answer the witch but honestly she hadn't quite been paying attention, her eyes instead drawn to the door and darting to the rather large clock on the opposite wall.

She had almost given up hope as the minute hand dragged closer to the number on the wall before the door opened once more and Malfoy walked in, buttoning the sleeves of his black button down as he entered.

"Oh Merlin-" the witch next to her said lowly, "I didn't think he'd show."

Hermione bit her lip, "Neither did I honestly."

"Granger-" the man said as he approached them and sat down in one of the vacant chairs opposite them. "Weasley"

"Potter," Hermione's companion corrected, her eyes narrowed.

The man before her raised a brow, his eyes moving to the sleeping child on the witches chest. "My apologies," he said.

Ginny muttered something under her breath and Hermione resisted the urge to elbow the woman as she looked back to Malfoy and this time he definitely was smirking. Her own lips pulled up at that and she leaned back in her chair as she waited for her name to be called. When it was, her and her party stood up, Draco allowing both of the witches to go before him before he followed in their wake.

"Quite a group today," the nurse smiled and Hermione nodded but offered nothing more. She did not however miss the woman's eyes sweep over the form of the man behind her and she took a deep, steadying breath as she continued forward and into the examination room.

The party dispersed awkwardly into the room, Draco standing near the corner and Ginny sitting in the only available chair while Hermione awkwardly perched herself upon the exam table as the nurse took her blood pressure and asked her questions about her time between her last appointment. Hermione answered as efficiently as possible and it wasn't until the nurse had left- with one last smile towards the man in the corner- that she finally let herself breathe. At least if Ginny decided to pull her wand on the man behind her it would be one less person to obliviate.

The air was heavy around them as they sat in silence. Hermione picked at her fingers, unsure of what- if anything- to say. Ginny picked up a stray magazine, throwing glances that hid thinly veiled glares at the man in the corner and Hermione avoided him, still unsure how she felt about his presence.

When the knock sounded on the door Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin as the midwife walked in.

"Well, hello," she smiled, "Quite a full house today. And who might you all be?"

"Er, Midwife Clarke, this is my friend Ginny. She's Harry's wife, the one who accompanied last time and- and this is Draco he's- well he's the father."

"It's a pleasure," the midwife said with a smile as she shook each of the visitors hands in turn, smiling at the sleeping baby tucked against his mum. Hermione held her breath as she reached out for Draco and the man didn't miss a beat as he easily accepted and shook the muggle midwife's hand.

"The pleasure is mine," he said simply.

"Well I'm so glad you could be here today," the midwife smiled before she turned back to Hermione, "Shall we get started?"

Hermione nodded and laid back on the table, allowing the midwife to lift her shirt up and press around on her abdomen. She let her eyes wander then, as the midwife measured and prodded, to Malfoy in the corner. She was surprised to find him looking back at her, their eyes meeting, before he turned his attention back to what the midwife was doing. Hermione felt her cheeks heat up under his stare and she resisted the urge to tug her shirt back down.

"All looks well," She smiled before she pulled the little machine out of her pocket and switched it on, pressing the wand to Hermione's stomach. It was quiet for a moment as the midwife moved it about until- "There it is."

The sound of the heartbeat swooshed through the air and Hermione felt a smile pull at her lips as they listened in.

"One Fifty-eight," she said after a moment, smiling as she pulled the wand away and helped Hermione pull her shirt back down, "Nice, strong and steady. Everything is looking lovely Hermione."

"Thank you," Hermione smiled and finished pulling her shirt back down before she reached out to help her sit back up.

"Do you have any other questions or anything else-"

Hermione started to shake her head 'no' but a throat clearing had her turning to look at Malfoy in the corner. He didn't meet her eye, wouldn't, as he spoke, "Is there a way to prove that the child is mine?"

Hermione breathed, closing her eyes for a moment, before opening them again and shaking her head at Ginny-whose hand had twitched towards her wand- before looking pointedly at the midwife . No need to have to obliviate the woman after all.

"There is in fact,but Hermione is past the time we would recommend it," the Midwife started. " I didn't recommend it before because it carries it's own risks. With Hermione's medical history I wouldn't recommend it at all. However if you feel there's a reason it might be needed before the birth- say for medical reasons-"

"No, there's nothing," Draco said quietly and Hermione felt his eyes on her as she focused in on the midwife once more, ignoring his stare.

"Alright, well I'll just leave you to it then. Hermione please call if anything changes. We'll see you next time. It was nice meeting you all," she said as she left the room.

Jamie gave a cry then and Ginny groaned, "I think he's soiled his nappy."

"It's okay Gin, I can make it from here," Hermione told her.

Ginny's gaze flickered to the man behind her and she asked, "Are you sure? I-"

"I'll be fine Gin," She assured her. "Go take care of him."

Ginny contemplated it for a moment before she finally nodded and moved towards her, "Tell aunt Mione bye-bye Jamie."

"Bye bye Jamie," Hermione smiled leaning over to press a kiss to the little bald head. "Bye Gin."

Ginny smiled, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek before she spoke lowly in her ear, "Don't hesitate to hex his arse if he tries anything."

"Ginny-" Hermione sighed but she couldn't help but smile as her friend stood back up and stared straight at the man behind her.

"Hurt her and I will personally make sure that they never find pieces of you," Ginny said lowly before Jamie cried once more and she shushed him, "I know my little quaffle, let's go home and get you changed."

"She's frightening," Malfoy said after the door had shut and Hermione let out a dark chuckle at that before she slipped off the exam table. She reached out to grab her bag from where she had placed it and was surprised when Malfoy's hand beat hers there, grabbing the strap and holding it out to her.

"Thank you-"

"Look, Granger-"

"You don't have to explain to me," she said, "You don't believe me, I understand. Like I said before I don't want or need anything from you."

"Our family lawyer won't let me put the baby in the estate unless I have proof that the baby is a Malfoy."

"You- you want to put the baby in-"

"Don't be daft Granger. I just said-"

"Why?"

Malfoy shrugged but said nothing more and Hermione let out a breath before she shook her head. She made to leave the room before he spoke again, "What did the midwife mean? About your history?"
"W-what?" she stammered.

"The midwife - she said with your medical history she wouldn't advise something like that what did she mean?"

"Nothing," Hermione said too quickly before she closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, "It's nothing."

"Granger, If there's something wrong with you or the baby-"

She sighed, "There's nothing wrong Malfoy-"

"Then what-"

"This isn't my first pregnancy alright?" she snapped finally and she saw his brows furrow in confusion. "Ronald and I- well we tried for quite some time to have a child together. I wasn't able to- well, it didn't work out."

"Did you see a healer? A magical one not one like-" he waved his hand around the room. "Like this."

"Yes," she said exasperatedly. "I saw experts in both the muggle and magical world. They- well the healers at St. Mungo's said there might have been lasting damage from- from the torture I suffered at the hands of-"

"My aunt," Malfoy breathed.

Hermione nodded, "They said it might be pure luck that I ever have a child of my own. I couldn't- that's why-" she stopped; shaking her head and looking away. Her eyes focusing on the photo sequence that hung on the wall of growth in the womb as she shifted on her feet in the silence left in the wake of her confession.

"I want you to see a healer," Malfoy said finally and she turned to see he had grown pale, more so than usual, his lips pulled into a straight line.

Hermione shook her head, "My muggle midwife is just as good as any healer in the wizarding world Malfoy. Just because you believe muggles-"

"This has nothing to do with their blood Granger-" the man ground out from between his teeth, "Your midwife doesn't have the abilities that healers do, nor are they equipped to handle wizarding births. I would feel safer if you would see our family healer to make sure the baby arrives healthy and safely."

Hermione wanted to argue, she wanted to roll her eyes and throw his prejudice back in his face but as her eyes went back to the graphic hanging on the wall she finally nodded, only once. "Fine."

A/N: That movie is a real thing. It's called Reign of Fire and it's one of my husbands favorites because it mentions his hometown. He has low standards for films. Ha.

So a few steps forward. let's see how this goes...