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Chapter Six- Draco

"How did it go?" asked Draco, glancing up from some parchments he'd been studying. Hermione promptly burst into tears. Draco rose from his chair in alarm and circled the desk. He drew her close and brushed her hair out of eyes. Really, did Hermione ever brush her hair? Why was it in her eyes again? Hermione gave a sob and buried her head in Draco's shoulder. He rubbed her back and waited. In a few moments, Hermione was calm. She sniffed.

"Harry said no. Can you believe it? He's worried what people may think. Specifically, Ginny. She's jealous of Astoria. Not only that..." Hermione bit back another sob, "...when I hugged Harry good-bye, Ginny opened the door. She was furious. She thinks I'm having an affair with Harry."

Draco's hand stilled. His eyes closed in horror. Gryffindors were notorious for being affectionate, but Astoria was not a Gryffindor, so she should not have been hugging anyone other than her husband. The last time Draco caught Astoria in the arms of another man, he banished her from Malfoy Manor. That was the time she disappeared for six months in Muggle London.

Hermione's mouth trembled, and she sniffed again. Draco thought of her disappointment and began to get angry.

"What do you mean he said no? He doesn't want our children to know each other? Are the Malfoys not good enough for the Potters? Wait till I get my hands on that little..."

Draco called in his secretary, Mrs. Gray, to tend to Hermione and apparated to the Ministry. Hermione drank some tea, let Mrs. Gray fuss a bit, then jumped to her feet. What if Draco were to duel Harry or Ginny? He might need a backup! She quickly apparated back to the Ministry and ran to Harry's office, wand in hand.

She opened Harry's office door to raised voices.

"Just keep her away from my husband!" shrieked Ginny at Draco.

"She didn't do anything wrong," bit out Draco. "All she bloody wanted was to get the kids together to play. Can you get that through your thick skull, Weaselette? She wants inter-house unity at Hogwarts, so she's starting in preschool. She does not want your husband."

"Right," sneered Ginny, "Everyone knows Astoria Malfoy's reputation. What man hasn't she chased? I can't believe she's pulled the wool over your eyes, but she hasn't pulled it over mine. She wants men. She wants my man. She wants Harry."

"You don't know my wife, Ginny Potter. You have no idea what she wants. She doesn't have time to chase men. She keeps me very busy in my bed. She devotes every minute of her day to our four, almost five children, who, by the way, all look like me, so I know she is not messing around." Draco's face hardened with icy sarcasm as he threw a disgusted look at Harry, "Astoria wants our children to be friends. Did you hear that, Potter? Friends? Mean anything to you? Hilarious, isn't it? Who in their right minds would want to be friends with the Potters? Not me."

"Who would want to be friends with the Malfoys? Especially when she can't seem to keep her hands to herself!" Ginny yelled furiously, noticing Astoria in the doorway. Draco ignored her and spoke to Harry.

"I supported Astoria because I respect her ideas, but maybe she was wrong this time. As far as I'm concerned, you two have both blown it. An olive branch was extended to you, to the Potter family from the Malfoys, and you rejected it."

Ginny began to look self conscious and perhaps a bit ashamed of her outburst. Harry looked miserable and shifted uncomfortably.

"Um, Malfoy?" he began, but Draco cut him off and looked at Ginny.

"Get over your bloody suspicion and jealousy."

Draco turned on his heel, grabbed Hermione's hand, and side-apparated them both to Mi Casa for lunch. They found a private booth in the corner. Hermione collapsed onto the bench, laughing.

Draco stared at her in disbelief.

"Are you laughing? Is this hysterics or something?"

"No, I'm fine. It's just..." Hermione giggled, "You told Harry that I don't have time to chase men because I keep you busy in bed. That's so funny!"

Draco looked stumped. "Why is that funny?"

"I don't know, it just is. Then...I don't have time to chase men because I chase my four going on five children who look like you." Hermione dissolved into hysterical laughter. Draco vaguely wondered if she should be slapped.

"Then you said, 'Who in their right minds would want to be friends with the Potters?' That is so funny!" Hermione calmed down, but still kept smiling. Her eyes were shining as she grinned at Draco. "Because actually, Draco, everyone wants to be friends with the Potters." Every now and then she chuckled, and after awhile Draco reluctantly smiled too.

"Draco," whispered Hermione. He leaned in to hear what she had to say. "Draco, what if Number 5 doesn't look like you?" she breathed with a glint in her eye. "Will I be in trouble?"

Draco's lips twisted wryly. That was funny. He had no doubts about his wife's fidelity. He trusted her integrity and loyalty because, well, because she was Hermione Granger. They were lucky, very lucky to have a marriage based on trust. They were apparently more fortunate in their relationship than the Potters.

"No, you won't be in trouble," he murmured back, "but if that's the case, maybe we'll have to try for number six."

After lunch, Draco gave Hermione a genuine smile. They were rare, and Hermione beamed back at him, her tears forgotten. He was so darn beautiful when he smiled.

"Draco, you told Harry that you respect my ideas. You do? Really?" Hermione glowed.

"You are amazing, you know," he told Hermione quietly. "Not many people would be able to laugh at that fiasco today. I don't know anyone able to forgive the wrongs done to them and then adapt to another person's life like you have done."

Hermione smiled softly. "The circumstances that triggered those wrongs are gone with the past. We're building the future, Draco. It wasn't so hard to adapt to Astoria's life since I wanted a family, too."

"You wanted a family. I wanted an heir. Bit of a difference there. You are a wise woman, Hermione."

Hermione gazed deeply into his eyes, losing herself in the warmth she found there.

"So," he continued, "if this friendship thing is not going to work out with Potter, why not try friendships with some others? We have isolated ourselves," he admitted. "You, in particular, should have girl friends and should get out more. Your sister Daphne has a son a little older than Scorp. How about Blaise and his wife? They have a son Orion's age."

Hermione gave a shudder at the mention of Daphne and Blaise. Daphne had not proven to be the friendliest sister. Blaise gave her the creeps with his come-hither smiles toward Astoria. She actually knew his wife better, but wasn't really interested in pursuing a close friendship with her.

"It's a good idea, Draco, but I haven't given up on the Potters yet."

"You want that crazy redheaded woman around our children?"

"She's not usually that way, Draco. She'll calm down. Ginny will be fine around the kids, really."

"I can't imagine her softening toward...us."

"Maybe not. Since it didn't work out this time, I'm going to try option number three. I'm going to interview Mrs. Weasley for the magazine this week."

Draco choked on his drink. "Mrs. Weasley? Magazine?"

"Yes, I'd like to get a mock-up, well, maybe I should just produce a sample issue, so you can see it for yourself. We can test the waters with a few Pureblood, Halfblood, and Muggleborn families. What do you think?"

"Hermione, this is a bad idea, a dangerous idea."

"You can't know that until you see it, Draco. It's going to be fantastic."

"Hermione, you're a genius. I believe that you can create a masterpiece, but I know politics. I know that it will come with a price, one that I am not willing to pay. Please, Hermione, drop it."

"Draco, love, you live in fear. I want our children to be free to live their lives as they see fit, not as society dictates. I want them to live for justice and truth and compassion. How can they have that future if I can't? Me, Astoria Malfoy, pureblood witch from one of the most elite, powerful wizarding families, can't launch a simple journalistic venture?"

"I don't want our children harmed by your crusade."

"They'll be fine. This magazine is actually a very small concept, Draco. It's about children and fashion, and it will have a lot of perspectives besides my own, I promise. Remember, you respect my ideas, Draco," Hermione reminded him with a teasing smile.

Draco sighed. He hated this magazine concept. It seemed low class and revolutionary. To him the choice between his wife's idealism and his children's safety seemed clear. He should protect the family name and oppose his wife.

But he adored Hermione, who had a genuine concern for humanity. He didn't want to destroy the very thing he loved about her, did he?

"Let's keep it small, then. Show me one sample issue. I'm not committing, Hermione. I don't want the Malfoy name on it. Please use a pseudonym to protect our privacy."

Hermione smiled vaguely, "Of course. Thank you, Draco. I'd better get back to the

Manor for the music lesson. Then I'm going to send Molly Weasley an owl."

"Oh, no," groaned Draco, "not more Weasleys, on top of everything else."

"It's all intertwined," Hermione assured Draco, "and it's all good."