I smile down at the black and white image in my hands. My baby is curled on his or her back, their legs tight to their chest, their arms a little more free to move about. Although this checkup is only my second, I look forward to all the others so I can watch my baby grow. One hand moves from the picture to my stomach, cradling the spot where my doctor said my baby was sitting. Knowing that I have an image for the being inside me makes me smile even larger.

"Miss Granger?"

I quickly hide the picture in the pocket of my blazer and glance up at my office door.

"Yes, April?"

"You have a conference call with Mr. Malfoy in five minutes. He wants to discuss the progress on the Madison case; the file is in your top left drawer. After that, you have a meeting with the Chief Warlock at four."

"Great, thank you."

I pull open the drawer she mentioned and grab the file on top. Malfoy has recently insisted on weekly conference calls to discuss the weak points in our cases so he can direct Aurors and H.I.T. Wizards as need be. As much as it pains me to admit, it is a rather brilliant idea and has led to us being much more organized and cohesive in the courtroom.

I flip through the testimonies and depositions as I wait for Malfoy's call. We need more physical evidence with this case; the majority of it is heresy. I frown and flip to the back to the log of evidence. Something is not adding up here…

I press the accept button on the intercom the moment it rings, still not looking up from the folder.

"Malfoy, we've got a situation here."

"Don't even get me started on it, Granger-"

"No, I mean a huge issue. I think we're missing one of the pieces of evidence that was previously logged."

I hear shuffling of paper as Malfoy digs through his own file. "What do you think is missing?"

I tap my pen against the desk before standing and moving around my office; I think better when walking. "I don't remember, I just know there was something else… Do we have a record of the first Aurors on the scene?"

"Of course we do. It was, uh…. Harrison Tyler, Olivia Hudson, Keith Willis and…. well that's odd."

"Odd? What's odd?" I ask, turning to look at the intercom as if Malfoy can see me giving him my full attention.

"There are only three Aurors listed, but I always send an even number into the field at once. I don't like the idea of one man being alone during a raid. I would have sent a fourth person."

"You didn't make a mistake?"

"Are you honestly insinuating that I am capable of making a mistake?"

I laugh. "You are only human, Malfoy. Or at least, I assume you are human."

There is a chuckle on his side and I smirk.

"I can contact Harry; he should have records of Aurors being sent into the field," I say as I make my way back to my desk. "Do you want me to add him to the call or just send him a memo?"

"For the love of Merlin, do not add him to this call. I can only handle so much Gryffindor at one time, thank you very much."

"See, now I think I should add him just to piss you off."

"Do it and I'll hang up. I can find out which Auror is missing from this report without the two of you."

I roll my eyes but grab a memo parchment. I scribble the letter to Harry and address it to his office before tapping it with my wand and wanting it fly under my door. "Okay, princess, I just sent him the memo so you don't have to worry about me adding him. Although, what is the point of calling this a 'conference'call if only two people are on the line?"

"I heard it in a Muggle film once and it sounded impressive. Just be happy I know how this damn thing works! I think I deserve the right to call it whatever I want."

"Don't you dare lie to me! I know she's in there!"

I glance up to my office door at the sound of an outburst. I pride my department on being a place of peace and relative silence. Any sort of yelling is definitely out of the ordinary.

"A bloody memo just flew out from underneath her door! Now let me in!"

"What the hell is going on over there, Granger?"

"I'm not sure; someone is screaming outside-"

Suddenly, my office door slams open and in walks Ron, looking more furious than I have ever since him.

"Ron?" I'm more shocked than anything. It's been over a month since I last saw him and maybe two weeks since I honestly thought about him. "What… what are you doing here?"

"You're fucking pregnant?!"

I can feel the color drain from my face. "When… how-who told you?"

I was very, very specific with Harry and Ginny. They were not supposed to tell Ron until after I had prepared what I was going to say to him. No one outside of them or my parents knew about the pregnancy. Except, maybe Malfoy considering he saw me buy the test, but he never asked about the result.

Ron throws a newspaper at me. The headline reads: Hermione Granger: She's expecting! Below it, I see a picture of me walking out of the women's clinic this morning after my second appointment. There is a zoomed in look at the packet of information I'm carrying. Information about prenatal care… I didn't even see the Prophet reporter. They must have just happened upon me; I was discreet about getting to the clinic, but not so much about leaving it…

"Well?" Ron hisses when I look up at him. "Is it mine?"

My face contorts in disgust. "How dare you imply I was anything but faithful to you during our relationship!"

His jaw sets. "So it is, huh? When were you planning on telling me?!"

"I was waiting for the right time! I needed to sort everything out!"

He laughs and prowls around my office. "Sort what out, Hermione? How you were going to cut me out of my kid's life?"

"That's absurd, Ron and you know it! You had just felt me and I found out I was pregnant with your child! I was distraught! I wasn't ready to tell you!"

"You want to know why you're going to make a shit mother?" he spits. "Because you don't know how to fucking communicate and take responsibility for your mistakes!"

His words stun me and I can't reply.

"If you had been up to date on your potion, this mess would have never happened! It's your own damn fault that you got pregnant. But I refuse to let my kid suffer for your mistake. I'm taking your arse to court Hermione. Once that baby is born, it is living with me so you can't fuck it up!"

"That is enough, Weasel."

I turn to find Malfoy standing in front of my fireplace, dust and ash surrounding him. I didn't see or hear him Floo in.

"Stay out of this, ferret," Ron spits. "This doesn't concern you."

I watch as Malfoy steps forward so he and Ron are nearly chest to chest. Malfoy is half a head taller than Ron and he uses his height to his full advantage as he glares down at him. "I will not ask you again, Weasley. Get out."

"Make me!"

It happens so quickly, but suddenly Malfoy has Ron by the collar and he's dragging him from my office. He shoves Ron out into the hallway, watching with satisfaction as the redhead tumbles to the floor. "Have security get him out of here," he hisses at April.

"Don't bother!" Ron shouts. "I was just leaving." He leans past Malfoy to get one last look at me. "I'm not gonna let you fuck up my kid!"

"Give me a reason, Weasley, I beg of you," Malfoy hisses as he steps in between us, successfully blocking me from Ron's line of vision.

I don't see Ron walk off, but I do see Malfoy turn back toward me to walk in my office and shut the door. Ron's words are still vibrating against my skull and the emotions I was doing my best to hide from him start rolling down my cheeks.

"Not here," Malfoy says suddenly. "I don't trust him to stay away for long."

I feel him leading me to the fireplace and gently pushing me inside with him and calling out his for his office. I don't register us traveling, nor do I feel Malfoy guiding me through his office and thrusting a glass of water into my shaking hands.

"Drink that."

I do as he asks, but end up dropping the glass to the floor when more tears come. I don't care who it is right now, but I need someone to hold me. I see the panicked look on Malfoy's face when I reach out for him and bury my face in his chest, muffling my tears. He backs up slightly in shock and hits his desk, but my arms around his waist keep me connected to him as I sob. Slowly, I feel one of his hands come up and stroke my hair, the other I can see griping his desk tightly. I watch through my tears as his grip loosens and that arm comes to wrap around me, holding me to his chest as his other hand continues its path through my hair.

"He's wrong, you know," Malfoy says softly when my crying has slowed to sniffles. "You are not going to be shit mother."

"You can't know that, though. No one can!"

"Hey, listen to me." Malfoy's hands move to my shoulders. He gently pushes me away from him so he can look me in the eyes. "Weasley is an arrogant pick, all right? He's probably jealous that you didn't come chasing after him when he left you and even more so now that he knows your pregnant. He wants to see you upset."

"But that doesn't make what he said untrue!"

"Granger. Listen to yourself!" He gives me a soft shake. "Since when have you ever let someone else define who you are or what you're capable of? I said awful things about you in school. And here you are, Senior Secretary to the Chief Warlock and on your merry way to having his job when he retires! Weasel is just another stupid arsehole you get to have the pleasure of proving wrong. Do you know why I'm so confident you are going to be a good mother?"

I shake my head, my hands coming up to wipe away the trials of tears on my face.

"Because I know you, Granger. Or, at the very least, your habits. You are going to buy and read every pregnancy and motherhood book you can get your hands on. You are going to plan how to balance your child with your job; you are going to conquer this just like every other obstacle you have ever faced."

"This is one obstacle I don't think I can handle on my own."

"Granger, you literally have your pick of the lot when it comes to people helping you. Pothead, Weaselette, and any other oaf from your house. Hell, Granger, I'd fucking help you." He pauses. "Actually that's not a bad idea."

"What?"

"Me. Let me help you."

"With what? Killing Ron?"

He laughs. "As fun as that sounds, no. Let me help you with your kid."

"Malfoy how on earth do you propose to 'help me' with my child?" I ask, stepping away from him now that I no longer feel the need to have someone holding me. My hands go to my stomach without thinking.

"Well, for starters, I can pick up some of the work from your office. You're going to need to take time off when you actually have the kid; I can help cover for you so the department doesn't think about hiring someone else. Plus, I can work from my flat. Say hello to your babysitter."

"Malfoy, I have Harry and Ginny-"

"Who are married, Granger. Aren't they gonna want to have their own baby? Besides, Potter is Head of the Auror Department; he won't exactly be free and willing to babysit after a long day of catching Dark Wizards. Plus, his days off are few and kinda in-between, aren't they?"

"I don't know…"

"Did I also mention that I am the Head of the Investigation Department? You know, the department that will be checking up on you and Weasley during the custody battle he apparently wants?"

"Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest if you were reviewing my case and were babysitting my child?"

"Ah ha! So you do want me to be your babysitter!"

"What? I never said that!"

He smirks. "It would be a conflict of interest yes, but only after the lawsuit has begun. I can assign someone to being assessing yours and Weasel's ability to provide a good and sable home for your child quite literally within the hour and I can keep you informed on Weasel's file until the actual case begins."

I chew my lower lip and look away from him. His offer is very tempting...

"Why are you offering all this, Malfoy?" I ask suddenly. "What's in it for you?"

"Quite a few things actually. You keeping your job does me a big favor because I won't have to worry about a new Senior Secretary coming in and ruining my flow. Not to mention babysitting your kid would give me some positive publicity for once. And the fact that I spend time with a baby might take me down off the 'Most Eligible Bachelors List' because most of the witches who write that stuff hate kids, which would hopefully stop the frankly alarming amount of fan mail I receive. And let me think, there was one more… as yes: I'd honestly hate to see Weasel be anywhere near your child because in my opinion, which I will admit is a little biased, he is too unfit to look after himself, let alone an infant."

"Is that really it?"

"Oh, I almost forgot: I need your baby in order to sacrifice it to resurrect Voldemort. Honestly, Granger, what were you expecting me to say?"

And just like that, I laugh and the dark clouds covering my day seem to disappear. "I don't know; something to that effect I guess."

"Granger; we've been working together for over three months and we've been relatively civil for a year or more. What's the worst that could happen?"