One week later…

Hermione looked out of her bedroom window, arms crossed and expression surly. Draco was slipping on a grey blazer over an orange cardigan. "Malfoy?" Hermione asked bleakly without looking at him. "Where are you going?"

He straightened his collar while looking in the mirror. "It doesn't concern you."

"It does. You're my husband."

He scoffed and looked at her. "Does it really matter that much? You hate me. What are you going to do if I stay?" he demanded.

"It's just…" Hermione fought back hopeless tears.

Draco cocked his head and asked flatly, "Are you crying now?"

Hermione hugged herself and sat down on the bed as a sob escaped her mouth. Why did he have to be so mean to her?

Draco's face softened slightly and he bit his lip. He came over and sat on the other side of the bed, so they were facing opposite ways. His hands rubbed his knees awkwardly as he sat there. He heard her sniff softly to herself.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I know I've been a jerk recently but I can't really help it…"

Hermione bent over and sobbed again, her skinny back shaking. She rasped out, "Stop, just stop. I'm just trying to get used to it, but I just can't!"

Draco's hand reached out hesitantly to touch her shoulder, but then retracted his hand back. He felt a little bad about how his wife was feeling but didn't know what to do. Instead, he blurted, "Will you go out with me?"

Hermione spun around, her face red. "What?"

"Like, you know, a date." She stared at him. "I know we're already married and everything, but we've never gone on a date before." He looked away, his neck hot.

Suddenly, he heard a slight laugh. He looked back at her, and she was smiling. She saw his face and snorted in amusement. She asked again, "What?"

He turned mad and annoyed. "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me?"

Hermione's eyes were shining. "No, it's just that… Oh my god, I can't believe this…" She shook her head as she looked down to smile.

Her good moods took over Draco's emotions as he also struggled to retain his serious face. He shot back, "Geez, stop having weird witch mood swings! Is that a yes or no?!"

Hermione looked at him, pretending to think about it, stretching the uncomfortable space of silence. "Fine." She said finally, as Draco rolled his eyes in relief. "I'll go. But you better not be a jerk to me anymore!" she added.

He smirked at her as he went to change his clothes. Hermione called after him. "Where are we going?"

He called back through the bathroom door, and she could hear him changing his clothes. "I was thinking we could have a picnic for lunch together, I know this really great oak tree nearby. Then we could go swimming at the lake while it's still nice out."

That's an okay idea, Hermione thought to herself. She changed into a light pink short-sleeved button down over black high-waisted shorts, with a swimming suit underneath. She put her wavy hair into a loose ponytail.

Draco emerged, wearing a pair of chino shorts with a loose blue tank top under an unbuttoned short-sleeved button down. They both strapped on their sandals and headed outside with a small basket laden with picnic foods. They would've looked like the perfect couple if it weren't the awkward wide distance they kept between them as they walked. It didn't look as if they were walking together, but just happened to be walking in the same direction.

They found the great oak tree, and Draco conjured a red mat on the grassy ground for them to sit on. He easily sprawled all over it comfortably, and looked at Hermione with his eyes raised. She rolled her eyes with a slight huff and sat with her legs crossed. She opened the basket and began to eat a sandwich. Draco took an apple and munched on it thoughtfully.

The food in the basket was endless; the elves had packed it nearly to its magical breadth. A half hour later, Draco and Hermione were stretched out on the mat, sleepy and their stomachs distended.

Draco sighed in content, then asked Hermione carefully, "What are you going to do for the rest of your life?"

Hermione sipped on some apple juice slowly. "I dunno."

"Come one. I know you have something. Tell me really."

Hermione looked at the white clouds on the blue sky and marveled at their color contrast. "I want to become a minister of justice at the Ministry of Magic."

Draco nodded at her answer. She turned her head at him. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

Draco fiddled uncomfortably; he was not used to expressing his thoughts. "I want to become a Healer." He waited tensely, for her to judge him, for her to say that wasn't right, to say ask for an explanation.

But to his surprise, she accepted it with a thoughtful nod. After a couple minutes, Hermione asked another question, "Where have you been going to during the past few days? Be honest." She was half scared and half curious to hear his answer.

To her relief, his answer wasn't bad. "I was taking some classes to study Healing." He admitted.

Suddenly, Hermione realized something. "You skipped class today because of me."

"Sure you did."

"Now I feel really bad, Malfoy. You missed a class because I freaked out this morning."

Draco didn't say a word.

Hermione began to cry quietly, tears streaming into her hair. "I'm such a horrible person, Malfoy, even worse than you. I'm so selfish, I don't know what to do with myself anymore…"

Malfoy looked at her with wide eyes, startled at her sudden emotional reaction. She sniffed in her nose, and sat up. She rubbed her face tiredly and reached for her juice again.

Suddenly, she yelled a piercing scream; her juice was black with ants. She scrambled away from it. Draco's face crumpled in disgust. He got rid of them with his wand, but it was too late. Hermione was leaning against the tree, hurling her guts out. "Merlin!" Draco exclaimed. He jogged over to her as her knees gave out from underneath her.

He watched awkwardly over her as she wiped her mouth with her arm. She coughed and choked, hot tears ran down her face. Finally, she managed to gasp, "Gosh, I don't know what wrong with me! I've been acting so strange recently."

She looked up at him with red rimmed eyes and got up to her feet. She started to go back to their picnic, but Draco caught her elbow. "Wait." Hermione flinched at his sudden touch as demanded, "What?"

His eyes were wide and afraid. "Could it be that…"

Hermione caught on. Her mouth gaped open and her knees shook, and she had a loss for words. Draco hurriedly sat her down on the mat to check. "Do you know the incantation for it?"

She swallowed and looked down at her abdomen. "Scientia graviditate," she muttered. "If the wand turns red, then I'm not pregnant, it it's blue, then I am." Draco lifted up Hermione's shirt and placed his wand on it and quickly said under his breath, "Scientia Graviditate." They both watched it intently, until it glowed red.