Two chapters were posted yesterday. Hopefully, you haven't missed one.

Rights belong to J.K. Rowling, thanks to camnz, and gratitude to you for reading this story.

Chapter Seventeen: Trends

"Spill everything, Gloria," commanded Astoria.

"Astoria, it was wrong of me to publicly embarrass you."

"Why on earth would you want to damage the reputation of the person giving you a paycheck? Do you want to be out a job? What in Godric's name were you thinking?"

"If you weren't happy about it, I thought that I could easily get another job. But I thought there was a chance that the issue would be wildly popular. After all, everyone wants to know more about the Malfoys, and who knows? I might have been given a promotion."

"Answer my question, Gloria. Why?"

"Pansy Parkinson is my second cousin, and I wanted to humiliate the Malfoys for treating her so badly," Gloria sighed.

"Treating her so badly? Do you know why she was committed to a sanatorium? It's so she doesn't have to be incarcerated in Azkaban. Her charge was murder, Gloria. She attempted to murder me twice." Hermione glared ferociously at her employee. She was ready to fire her, but wanted to hear what Gloria had to say.

Gloria looked shocked and then remorseful. "I am so sorry, Astoria. I understand if you need to let me go. I wanted to cause you embarrassment, but I didn't know the whole story about Pansy. I did not expect the Ministry to freeze your money and take over the magazine."

"No, I didn't expect that either."

"I do believe in the magazine, and I really don't even care that much about the whole Muggle aspect. I mean it's not offensive to me. It's actually interesting. I think this magazine is really important."

"If I keep you on the team, then you will have to earn my trust back. Gloria, you will know about secret locations. You'll have all the inside information. You'll be tempted to betray us to your Pureblood friends and relations."

"Please consider giving me another chance." Gloria repeated calmly, but she didn't beg. She looked sad and apologetic, but not vindictive or angry. Hermione was inclined to trust her. It might be a bad idea, but if they wanted to keep the magazine going, they did need Gloria right now.

Just then Anna McGuire burst into the small office with Jane Creevey and Roy Thomas at her heels.

"We've got them!" she crowed. "We've got the Zabini family on board for the next issue!"

Hermione was astounded. "Really?" she asked. "Don't they have a problem with Muggles or the Muggle world?"

"No, they don't. I asked. And they don't care about what other people think. Isn't it fantastic?"

"It's amazing!" Hermione marveled. Her eyes began to sparkle.

Anna opened her bag onto the desk. Several electronic devices spilled out. "And here is our next feature on Muggle technology. Meet the Smartphone! There's one for each of you."

"Oh, I already have a cellular phone, Anna. I don't need one," Hermione assured her.

"What? What is it?" Gloria asked.

Roy began turning each one on and handing them to Jane, Gloria, and Hermione. "You don't have a phone like this one, Mrs. Malfoy," he said. "Just wait until you see what this baby can do!"

Anna and Roy demonstrated the Smartphones to the team. Jane, of course, was intrigued by the camera and Facetalking. "It's like making a floo call without the fire!" she said excitedly.

Anna agreed, "Best of all, you can call from anywhere! You don't need a fireplace!"

"Anywhere? My cell doesn't work from Malfoy Manor, so I only use it when we travel."

"This phone should work everywhere, even Malfoy Manor," Roy assured her.

Hermione knew all about telephones and texting, but she was especially interested in Mapfinder and Earthwatch. "My goodness!" she marveled. "These maps would really help witches and wizards to apparate safely to unknown locations. And Facetalking would help parents stay in better touch with their children, especially when they leave for Hogwarts. How does it work?"

Roy replied, "The phones connect to the internet via satellite. So you have internet access wherever you go. Witches and Wizards have no idea what the Muggles can do with technology. Our next issue will fill them in."

"Can you write this up for me?" Hermione asked.

"Done!" Anna responded proudly as she held out a parchment with a flourish.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. Magical Parenting Today was on a roll.

After the team discussed the next issue, Hermione appointed Anna McGuire as editor in chief and moved Astoria to executive editor. Gloria gave her report on sales. Astoria requested that the team produce a sample magazine for approval before publishing this time. In her mind was the idea that Draco might come around to give MPT his support if he saw Blaise and Cho Zabini on the cover instead of the Malfoys.

Because the team would need to be in close contact, they agreed to use the Smartphones to stay in touch. The Zabini house was going to be their undercover meeting place at first, although most of their work was stored on their laptops anyway. Laptops should be safe from the Ministry. Especially when shrunk to fit in their pockets or bags.

"Do the Zabini's have internet access?" asked Hermione. Malfoy Manor certainly did not. That is one reason why she was so far behind the times. Muggle times, that is.

"They do. Apparently, Cho uses the internet to stay in touch with her relatives in China."

"Will we feature the Zabini's tech toys in MPT?" asked Hermione.

"Absolutely. It's the latest trend!"

The Magical Parenting meeting was cut short when Penny came to fetch Astoria. The baby needed her. Hermione blushed when she saw her team realize that Astoria had left her infant and children in the care of a house elf. She left hurriedly.

Hermione and Penny apparated home to her screaming baby. She fed and calmed Gemmie and spent some time playing with the children. She showed them the new Smartphone. Then she made a floo call to Draco's office. Suzette's head appeared in the fireplace. Astoria smiled grimly, thinking that she enjoying seeing Suzette's head encased in flames. In this instance, the Wizarding call excelled over the Muggle phone.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Suzette acknowledged. "Can I take a message for you?"

"I need to speak with Mr. Malfoy about business."

"I will check with him and be right back." Suzette's head disappeared for a few minutes, then reappeared. "Draco says that he has taken care of everything. He'll talk to you this evening at the Parkinson's party."

Draco? Mrs. Gray never called Draco by his first name. Hermione fumed.

What did he mean by everything was taken care of? Had he transferred Astoria's money to a Muggle bank?Why didn't he want to talk to her? Was he still angry? Suddenly, she dreaded the prospect of attending another pureblood party with an ice cold Draco. Hermione very curtly signed off with Suzette.

Hermione checked her children's suitcases before shrinking them to fit in her extendable bag. She began packing her favorite Muggle clothes for their potential trip away. She would not have to dress up in the Muggle world, thankfully. She could be herself. She also realized that by hiding away with the kids, she would have fewer opportunities to work on the magazine or meet with her team. She might be housebound. Hmmm. Maybe she would put the children in Muggle school. A light came to her eyes and a smile curved her lips. Living in her old home and sending the children to her old Muggle school? The idea was simply delightful.

Then her smile faded. What would Draco do if she enrolled the children in a Muggle school? Would he take the children away from her? Bring them to Malfoy Manor and lock her out or abandon her in her parents' home? It had been years since she had considered Draco Malfoy a formidable opponent. She had never actually feared Draco before, but now thinking that he might punish her by taking the children away absolutely paralyzed her.

Muggle trends were all very well, but they were not worth a knut to Hermione if they meant losing her children. Her excitement for Magical Parenting Today began to wane, and her spirits began to sink once again.