Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works or characters.

A/N: Life got away from me. I am so sorry guys. I love each and every one of you that is still with me.

Seventeen.

She ended up in bed after that, her hair piled high on top of her head and one of Ronald's old shirts on as she ate the contents of her refrigerator. She couldn't believe that she had just walked into the Greengrass' home and told off the woman. She groaned as she thought of it once more and shoved another spoon of ice cream into her mouth.

She had been sure that she was just going to talk to Astoria, to ask how she felt, to make sure that her child would be loved and wanted. Instead she had pissed off the very people that she would- eventually- have to entrust her child to.

The same child gave a little thump to her midsection as she scooped some more ice cream onto her spoon just before a knock sounded from her lounge room. She frowned, sticking the spoon in her mouth before she stood up and made her way to the door.

"Astoria?" she asked as she took sight of the witch before her, standing uncertainly on her doormat. "What are you-"

"Am I interrupting?" she asked quickly.

"No, not at all, uh… come in." Hermione said quickly, holding the door to let the witch into her flat.

"I'm so sorry Hermione," she said as Hermione shut the door and she spun around. "Mother has been- well things have been hard for her recently. I know it's no excuse but- well I wanted to apologize on her behalf. She had no right to say those things, no matter how she feels about the situation."

Hermione sighed, "Can I get you a cup of tea?"

"Oh I couldn't ask you-"

"You're not asking, I am," Hermione said with finality, "I think- I think we have a lot to talk about."

Astoria nodded, her posture relaxing slightly as the two women made their way to the kitchen.

Hermione worked silently as Astoria sat herself down at the table behind her. She had much she wanted to say to the witch but her thoughts were a jumbled mess. She took her time readying the tea and when she finally turned around she saw that Astoria was chewing on her bottom lip, her brow furrowed.

"I am sorry Hermione-" she said again quickly, "If I had known-"

"But you didn't know."

"I still should have-"

Hermione stopped her then, sitting down in the chair opposite her, "Astoria, your mother said nothing more than the entirety of the wizarding world is thinking I'm sure."

Astoria frowned, "No, no one thinks that. With the exception of my batty mother."

Hermione smiled at that and fixed herself a cup of tea before she spoke again, "We will have to agree to disagree on that one and for the record, I accept your apology."

The witch visibly relaxed then and helped herself to her own cuppa before she finally spoke again, "We never did get to talk, what with my mother getting her wand in a knot…"

Hermione cleared her throat, "I- well, I did want to see how you were doing. With all of this. I know it's not ideal-"

Astoria's lips pulled down at that and she shook her head, "Hermione, I- well that is to say, I'm not an imbecile. I know that my marriage to Draco is expected but despite that, I do care for him and in spite of the circumstances… Draco is happy. Scared, certainly, but happy. And so, i'm happy too. For both of you."

Hermione felt the corners of her lips tug up at that, "I'm glad to hear it."

Astoria nodded, "And please, don't for a moment think that my mother's ideas are my own or anyone's really. My father- well my father paid a hefty price for his actions- er, well, his lack of during the war. My parents weren't traditional in the sense of others. They chose to be together and her family disapproved. He was all she had left besides us. They actually loved one another and I know it's no excuse but him being gone… she hasn't handled it well. It's like one entire part of her family is missing."

Hermione swallowed but said nothing more as she sipped her tea and thought of her own parents, forcing down the lump in her throat. The two witches were quiet until Hermione got up to use the loo- a now common occurrence- and when she returned the two moved to the lounge room together, the air between them now cleared.

"I would love to!" Astoria smiled when Hermione extended the invitation to her baby shower. "That is, if you'll have me."

"Of course," Hermione said with a nod as the witch picked up her things. "I'll be inviting Draco as well, though honestly i'm not sure if he'll attend."

"Oh, he will." Astoria said assuredly, "Honestly I've never seen him so excited. It's quite adorable really. Have you seen the nursery yet?"

"No," Hermione said with wide eyes, "The nursery?"

"Oh, it's positively darling, you'll have to make him show you," Astoria beamed before she reached out to grab Hermione's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "Thank you Hermione."

Hermione smiled at the witch as they reached her front door, unsure of what she was thanking her for and unsettled by the foreign feeling that had formed somewhere beneath the child in her womb. Before she could think on it too much however, Astoria had reached the door and pulled it open, only to let out a squeak of surprise.

"Draco!" she said, "What are you doing here?"

Draco raised a brow at the witch, a small smirk on his lips; Hermione looked away as he spoke, "I heard that Hermione wasn't feeling well today so I wanted to stop by and check in on her."

"You don't stop in to check on me when I'm feeling unwell," Astoria said and although her tone was teasing there was an undercurrent of edge to her voice. Hermione glanced up then only to see Draco looking intently at her.

"Yes, well," he said, pulling his eyes from her to look back at Astoria- his fiancee, Hermione reminded herself. "Next time you get a cold I'll be sure to swing by."

Astoria swatted at his arm but said nothing more before she leaned up on her toes to brush a kiss against his cheek and Hermione looked away once more, swatting the cushions on her sofa until she heard the door shut and she looked up to see Draco standing there.

"Are you alright?" he asked after a moment.

"I'm fine," she said simply before she sighed and moved to sit down on her newly plumped sofa and Draco moved to take a seat near her in her armchair. "I- well I went to speak to Astoria."

"Why?"

Hermione's brow quirked, "Why? Because- you're marrying her Draco." His jaw ticked at that, "And she's going to be the stepmother of my child and no one even thought to make sure she was handling everything alright."

"And is she?"

"What? Oh, yes, she's- she's wonderful." Hermione admitted and she tried to ignore the conflicting emotions that thought brought her.

"Yes, she is something. She makes it hard to dislike her."

Hermione scoffed at that and played with a hole in the ratty t-shirt she was wearing.

"Why was she here though?" Draco asked finally and she looked up to meet his gaze, "If you went to visit her?"

"Oh, well her mother isn't quite as welcoming."

She watched as his eyes darkened then, his jaw clenching tightly as the muscle near his temple jumped before he spoke through clenched teeth, "What did the old witch have to say."

Hermione swallowed, "It was nothing-"

"Hermione," he warned.

"She said nothing more than anything most of the wizarding world is saying."

"And what is it that they're saying?" he asked impatiently.

"What aren't they saying?" she asked, "My friends still wonder if this is a ploy of some kind and your lot think I'm trying to sink my claws into your wealth or wondering why your mother has let this go on." Draco stood then, his fists tight as she called after him, "Where are you going?"

"To have a conversation with Briony Greengrass-"

"Draco, no!" she cried, "It's fine, it's-"
"No," he spun around then, looking at her fiercely from where she was trying to lift herself less than elegantly from the sofa. "It is certainly not fine. Not only has she spoke ill of my mother but also the mother of my child-"

"Stop," she said, finally finding her footing as she crossed the few steps to him, her hand reaching out to grasp his arm. He stiffened under her touch then but she held fast. "Draco please."

He breathed, his nostrils flaring. "Hermione-"

"I'm fine, we're fine," she said quietly as she met his eyes, "I've been through too much to let the words of an old witch get to me."

They were silent, the words they weren't speaking settling around them as they stood in her living room before he finally relented, "Okay."

She nodded once and let her hand fall away as her stomach gave a mighty rumble.

"And i've kept you from dinner-" he said quietly.

"I-" Hermione took a deep breath, "I was going to make something simple would you like to stay?"

Draco hesitated for only a beat before he nodded, "I would."

She grinned as she turned on her heel and headed towards the kitchen with Draco right behind her.

"You were actually worried because you told her off?" Draco laughed, shaking his head as his fingers skimmed the edge of his wine glass.

"Well… yes?" Hermione asked, crinkling her nose as she took a drink of her own glass of pumpkin juice. "I would rather my child's extended family not hate me from the beginning."

Draco laughed then; a short, dry chuckle. "As if anyone could hate you Granger."

She narrowed her eyes, "Oh there are plenty that do, I'm sure. I buggered it with the Weasley brothers so I sunk my claws into you instead."

"I was hardly an unwilling participant," Draco said throatily and Hermione felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she once more took another drink.

They had long since finished the simple pasta meal they had whipped up and were simply sitting at her dining table as they talked.

"In any case, I'm the death eater scum who managed to knock up the Gryffindor princess so I think I win that battle."

Hermione laughed, "Not to mention you managed to snag another beautiful witch despite that."

Draco nodded, his full lips pursing slightly.

"Speaking of Astoria," Hermione started and she noticed his shoulders stiffen under his dark blue, pressed shirt, "She said you had the nursery done?"

Draco met her eyes then, "I wasn't going to say anything,"

"Why not?"

"I didn't want to be presumptuous, assuming he would be allowed to come to the manor,"

"Or she," hermione corrected with a grin, "But of course Draco. I would never keep the baby from you."

"I wasn't sure with your history-"

Hermione blinked, "Can I see it?"

"What?"

"The nursery," she pressed, "Can I see it?"

Draco thought for a moment before he finally nodded, "Alright."

He stood up then and Hermione followed suit with a little more effort before they made their way to the fireplace together. Draco stepped in and turned around just as she stopped him, thinking of the ministry approved shields in place.

"Do I need to go with you-"

"No," he shook his head, "The wards will let you in, I made sure of it." With that he tossed his powder down, speaking his family name as he whirled away.

She swallowed as she stepped in and with a twist of her own wrist she followed close behind. She was pretty sure, as she finally stopped in the grate, that every form of wizard transport was fifty times worse when pregnant. She gave herself a moment as she closed her eyes once more and let the wave of dizziness pass.

"Are you alright?" Draco's voice was soft and worried and she nodded once as she breathed deeply through her nose.

"Quite," she finally managed and she opened her eyes to see him standing before her, his brow creased and she explained, "It's much harder for two."

"Oh," he said simply, "I should have-"

"No," she was quick to assuage him, "floo is much better than any alternative."

Draco grinned, "flying would probably-"

"Godric no," she said quickly, "I don't like flying."

Draco laughed then and Hermione jumped slightly as she turned to see him grinning slyly at her, "I know, Potter told me-"

"Why you-" She reached out to swat at him as he neatly dodged it in a way only a seeker would be able to, a smirk still playing at his lips.

"It's this way," he said simply and seemingly without thought he reached back to grasp her hand, tugging her along.

Hermione, of course, had been in the manor since the war but her stomach still knotted up as she walked the halls, echoes of a time long past.

"I don't blame you," she said quietly as she and Draco walked hand in hand and her eyes darted to the large doors that she knew had held witness to that day so long ago.

Draco's hold tightened around her fingers but he said nothing as they walked towards a large, grand set of stairs.

"I still hear it," he finally said after what felt like forever, the only sound that of their feet padding up the steps. "Your screams…"

He swallowed thickly then and Hermione took the time to give his hand a squeeze this time. She wanted to tell him it was okay but it wasn't. What happened to her, or any of them, would ever be okay. It was what had led her to therapy and Ronald to the bottle. She suspected it was why Angelina and George were together and why Harry threw himself into his work. They all just wanted to forget; if only for a moment.

"I've been thinking of names," she said quietly and she saw his shoulders relax out of the corner of her eye. "I was thinking if you had any ideas you could write them down and maybe we could switch? See what we like?"

Draco brought them to a stop then, turning to look down at her, "You'd let me help?"

"Of course," she smiled, "After all she's your child too."

"Or him."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Yes, or him."

Draco's lips quirked up before he finally let go of her hand and turned to the door before them, with the turn of the handle the door opened and Hermione gasped.

She had expected, for some reason, opulence. Instead the room was- well, perfect. The walls were a creamy white, leaning more towards white and the cot on the far wall was only slightly darker. The large windows were open, the light falling warmly over the room and Hermione was overwhelmed.

"Draco this is- this is beautiful," she finally said as she walked forward to run her hand over the ear of a satin rabbit on the chest of drawers.

"Well, I can't take all the credit," he said sheepishly, "Mother had a hand."

Hermione turned then to smile at him, "Truly Draco, this is beautiful. I can't imagine a better room for the baby."

Draco smiled, "one more thing-" he moved gracefully in the room and towards the large dresser on the far side of the room and pulled down a frame before he handed it to her.

Her hands were shaking before she had even taken the photo, seeing the stationary photo in front of her in the gold inlaid frame as the hot rush of tears filled her eyes. "How?"

"Potter," he said simply.

She ran her fingers over the photo of her parents and her, taken at Kings Cross and one of the few things she kept out at her flat.

"Oh damn," Draco cursed and he pulled the frame gently from her trembling hands before he grabbed hold of her shoulders, bending to look in her eyes, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," she stammered before she took a few deep breaths and wiped at her nose, "I'm not usually such a mess. Oh- Merlin and Morgana I'm such a sight. It's just, I guess I never realized how much they would miss, or how much I would miss them."

Draco's gray eyes scrutinized her intensely as he held her arms gently in his. "You should talk to them," he finally said. His voice was soft and timid but the look on his face was determined.

Hermione shook her head, "They made it clear last we spoke-"

"Things have changed," Draco interrupted, "You're having their grandchild, surely they would want to be privy to that."

Hermione shrugged, "I don't know and honestly I don't know if I could handle facing them again only to hear the same things." She breathed heavily then and took a small step back as Draco let his hands fall away from her arms. She could tell there was more he wanted to say, that he wanted to press further, she was saved however by the sound of heels on the floor as Narcissa joined them, a bag of baby items on each arm, and before long she had pushed all thoughts of her parents from her mind as she watched the excited witch display her purchases. If there was one thing she was sure of it was that at least her child would have one doting grandparent in their life.