My dearest readers: I am so terribly sorry I have not updated in so long. :( I had some personal stuff that arose that I had to deal with. I have a lot more planned for this story, and I will never abandon it. But without further delay, this chapter is dedicated to my late dog, Timber. Cancer took you from us far too early.

Chapter 23: Morning at the Manor

Yet again, Hermione Granger stood in the Malfoy Manor, her gaze studying her surroundings. This time she was not imagining the life of Draco Malfoy. This time was different. She was imagining the what-ifs. What if she had been honest with Draco so many years ago? Would this be her home? Would Shyla have grown up here? Hermione frowned. What-ifs were dangerous. These ideas also made her think of the possibility of Eva having never been born. Never existing. She sighed sadly and left the room to find her own daughter.

Draco met her in the hallway. He brushed a hair from her face, brushing her cheek with his thumb in the process. "Shyla's in the parlor with Evangeline." He studied her face, and frowned. "Why be sad, Granger?"

She gave a half smile and shook her head, "I'm okay, just a lot on my mind."

He gave a small laugh, and smirked, "How am I not surprised."

Hermione gave him a look of annoyance before walking past, heading towards the parlor. The place of too many drinks the night before. The parlor was spotless. If she had not been in attendance, she would have never guessed that a party of primarily Slytherins took place in that very room.

"Mum!" Shyla called seeing her mother enter the room. "Eva got a kitten for Christmas!"

Eva held up the small grey kitten that Draco had picked out only a week before. "Isn't he absolutely adorable? My dad is the greatest!"

Hermione smiled, "He is rather dashing. What are you going to name him?"

Eva's mouth scrunched as she thought. Her petite face was fragile looking, very much like Draco's when he was a child. "I think I'll name him Sebastian."

Hermione sat in between the girls, and began to stroke the small cat's body. "I like it." She rested her chin on Shyla's head, "Well, kid. We need to get to your grandparents' house."

Shyla pouted, "I want to stay and play with Sebastian."

Hermione couldn't help but smile, "Maybe Professor Malfoy will let you come over soon and play. But, we promised Grandma and Grandpa that we would visit them for Christmas." The words still sounded weird to her. Professor Malfoy.

Shyla threw Draco a begging look, "Can I come over tomorrow?" Her light blue eyes large and doe like.

"Shyla!" Hermione scolded lightly.

Shyla rolled her eyes, "Please?"

Draco laughed, but it was followed by an exasperated sigh. "Tomorrow isn't a good day. Evangeline and I have a prior engagement. But I am sure the day after would be okay." He glanced at Hermione briefly, as if to get approval from her. Yet, his eyes contained another message. One that reminded her of the looming visit he had to attend. Hermione couldn't even imagine the hatred he must feel for his father. She completely adored her own father.

Hermione fought to keep the pained look from creeping onto her face. She smiled gently and nodded, "That would work better for us too."

Eva and Shyla grinned at each other before Eva added, "I will send Keelee an owl, too!"

As the girls made plans, Hermione stood and turned to Draco, "I should call a taxi."

Draco stared at Hermione as if she had completely lost it. "You do realize you're a witch, right? The Floo Network would be much quicker."

Hermione sighed, "Oh, I know. But my mum hates it when I pop in and out, she has yet to get used to that aspect of my life."

"Merlin, one would think she would have gotten used to it by now!" Draco shook his head in disbelief. "But I suppose they are muggles." He smirked at her playfully.

Hermione pursed her lips and glared at the blonde across the room, "And you're a prat."

Draco sighed with a smile, and ran his hand through his lengthened blonde hair, "Don't call a taxi, Granger."

Hermione walked to the man, leaving the young girls to fawn over Sebastian. She lowered her voice before continuing their discussion, "What else do you expect me to do?"

Draco smirked at the obvious frustration that was taking over Hermione. "Take my car." He liked causing her grief. The way her forehead wrinkled in annoyance was well worth the looks of disapproval.

Hermione stared at him blankly, "Your what?"

"You heard me, Granger." Draco rolled his eyes.

"I don't think I did." Hermione teased back.

"Sometimes I like to just get away from the wizarding world and blend in." Draco explained in a nonchalant manor. He led her to the four car garage that was attached to the manor. "It used to hold carriages for when my father felt like flaunting his wealth to the locals."

Hermione gawked at the cars before her, "So now you just flaunt it with cars that cost more than their homes?" She only barely recognized most of the makes of the vehicles. The most she could say about them was related to their color. She rolled her eyes at Draco, "You're such a show off."

He smirked at his success in being the root of the annoyance that was actively spreading across Hermione's face. "Which one do you want to drive?"

"You cannot honestly expect me to drive one of these. I would be absolutely terrified of destroying it." She scanned the cars again before noticing a small car tucked in the corner. Her face scrunched in thought. "Fine, I'll drive your Mini Cooper." She had loved Mini Coopers as a child, but had rarely given them thought since she entered Hogwarts.

"Hurt that car and you'll pay." Draco said with extreme serious in his voice.

Hermione scoffed, "Malfoy! You have a bloody Aston Martin sitting in front of you that you are obviously willing to let me drive. Yet, it is the ten year old Mini Cooper that you threaten me over?" She shook her head in disbelief, "I do not understand you one bit."

"That's Lucy. She was my first car, and she is eleven years old next month." Draco explained.

"You named it?" Hermione laughed.

"I discovered this band around that time. I was surprised a muggle band was actually half decent." He gave a soft laugh, "They have the strangest name. But maybe you have heard of them. They're called the Beatles."

Hermione couldn't help but allow her head to fall into her face, producing an audible sound as they collided. "Draco..." It took her far longer to conjugate a response than she was proud of. "Yes, I have definitely heard of the Beatles."

He grinned childishly, "Tell me, what did you think of them?"

Hermione grinned back, and bit her lower lip in thought, "I'll do you one better, and tell you what the entire world thought of them. They are one of the most well known bands in the entirety of the muggle world. I have never met a person who did not know their music."

Draco considered this thought for a moment. "So then you would know the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds? I was driving that beaut over there when I first heard it."

"Draco, do you know what that song is about?" Hermione asked almost cautiously. She felt like she was explaining to a child that Santa Claus didn't exist. When he stared at her, waiting for an answer, she merely shook her head. "Don't worry about it, it's a muggle reference to a recreational drug. It really doesn't have a place in the wizarding world. I am glad you like the Beatles."

Draco's serious face crept up again, "Can I trust you with her, then?"

Hermione smiled gently, "I solemnly swear she will be safe in my hands."

Draco peaked around and kissed Hermione softly, "I'll pull her around front, and meet you out there." He brushed his thumb against her cheek in a very tender way before walking away. It was incredible how one moment he was teasing her and the next showing far more affection than Hermione ever thought he was capable of. Even when they first fell into each others lives in the most unexpected way, he was typically cold and distant.

Hermione and Shyla sat in the small blue car as they drove down the street in the gently falling snow. Shyla finally broke the silence, "Do you like Professor Malfoy?"

Hermione jerked her head slightly in surprise at the question. "What are you getting at, Shyla?"

Shyla looked as if she had been deeply wounded, "Mum, I'm hurt. I'm just asking if you like him."

Hermione focused her gaze on the road, thinking about the way she was head over heels for him, and all of the ways he drove her insane. "Malfoy and I have a very long history. We used to completely hate each other."

"I'm not looking for a heartfelt story." Shyla snapped, "Yes or no!"

"Shyla! It's not that simple!"

"Yes or no, Mum!"

"Why?"

"Mum!"

"Shyla!"

"Yes or no!"

Hermione became so flustered with the demand to answer that she finally spat out a surprising, "Yes!"

Shyla gave a short squee before pushing her luck, "Like him like him? Or just like him?"

"What does that even mean?" Hermione furrowed her brow as she tried to comprehend what her daughter just asked. She never learned the art of speaking teenage girl.

"Let's play a game!" Shyla announced suddenly, changing the subject, or so Hermione thought.

Hermione agreed, hoping it was one of the games they had played together when Shyla was younger. "What game?"

"Would you rather eat a slug or swim with worms?" Shyla asked.

It took the entirety of Hermione's self control to not stare at her daughter as if she was crazy. "If I had to choose? I would rather eat a slug."

Shyla's lip curled, and her eye squinted, "Gross."

Hermione took the opportunity to get her question in, "Would you rather never play Quidditch again, or spend eternity in Professor Binn's class?"

Shyla threw her hands in the air in state of confusion, "Mum, If I spent eternity in Professor Binn's class, wouldn't that mean I would never be able to play Quidditch again anyways?" She shook her head and sighed silently, "I guess I would have to go with the first option. Because then at least I could still watch Quidditch."

"Sorry, I haven't played this game in a very long time." Hermione shrugged. Her daughter was smart, she would give her that.

Shyla shrugged it off as well and continued the game. "Anyways... Would you rather literally live in a shoe the rest of your life, or date Professor Malfoy?"

Hermione couldn't control herself this time. She brought the car to a stop and stared at Shyla. "Excuse me?"

"Mum, it's just a game." Shyla feigned innocence.

"Get to the catch, Shyla." Hermione warned.

Shyla sighed, "I just want you to find someone and be happy..." Her voice and demeanor lacked sarcasm or malice in her reply.

Hermione's heart ached at Shyla's reaction. But she made a point to make eye contact with her daughter. "Happiness is not based on having a significant other. Don't you ever think otherwise. They can be a nice addition, but you should be happy with yourself, first and foremost."

Shyla scoffed, "Merlin, Mum. It's just a game." She slumped into the passenger seat of the tiny car and watched the snow from her window. Her mum had always raised her to be independent and to express herself freely. But now, as she was nearing her teenage years, she found it to be more embarrassing and annoying than she should have.

Hermione had parked the tiny car in the driveway to her parents' house. It had stopped snowing, but the air was chilly. The neighborhood was decorated with twinkling lights and plastic deer on their lawns. The Grangers never put up lights for the holidays, John always considered it to be too much work. Hermione hated being the only house on the street without decorations when she was a child, but now she saw the beauty in the snow being undisturbed. Hermione gave a soft smile as they reached the door, where a festive wreath hung. They must have gone all out this year. She placed her finger on the door's buzzer and waited patiently.

Her petite mother opened the door and smiled genuinely, "John! The girls are here!" She rushed them in out of the cold, and insistently took their coats. "I was completely prepared for you to arrive through the fireplace, and then you startled me by ringing the buzzer!"

Shyla tightly hugged her grandmum, "I'm sorry I worried you at the station. I should have at least told you."

Martha returned the hug in kind, and smiled, holding to her granddaughters hands, "Say not another word. It's Christmas, and we're going to have a lovely time."

Shyla grinned, following Martha into the living room. It was decorated very differently from the Malfoy Manor, but still, it had a Christmas charm that made Shyla nearly squeal in joy. She could feel the squeal creeping up her throat as she saw the modest tree in the corner. It had multiple strands of twinkling lights, silver tinsel strung about, and years of homemade ornaments.

Hermione's favorite ornament was a muggle picture of her and a very young Shyla. In Martha's cursive handwriting it said "Shyla's first Christmas, 1997." It hung on the tree by a red ribbon. Many other ornaments consisted of ones from Shyla's childhood, and even from Hermione's. Including a toothy grinned six-year-old Hermione wearing a blue and white school uniform. Even then, her hair was a giant swarm of curls and frizz. Hermione nearly giggled just imagining what Draco would say if he saw that picture. She would never live it down.

"John!" Martha called again with a sigh, "He has been on his new computer all day."

Shyla smiled, "I'll go get him." She smoothed the wrinkles out of the skirt she borrowed from Eva. The skirt itself was black with light pleating, and fell just above her knees, due to the few inches of height she had on Eva. She wore black knit leggings with it, and a red sweater with snowflake patterns. The sweater was her own, that she had allowed Eva to borrow the week prior.

Shyla made her way into her grandfather's study where he was hunched over his laptop computer with oversized headphones covering his ears. On his wall was a framed jersey from the English football team Arsenal. It was signed by several of the players. On the screen of his computer was a stream of pictures of space in bright colors that seemed nearly unnatural.

"Grandpa."

He didn't respond.

This time she tapped him on the shoulder as she repeated calling out, "Grandpa!"

John jerked, removed the headphones from his ears, and spun around in his chair. "Shyla! When did you get here?" He grinned at his only grandchild.

She shook her head, "Only a few minutes ago. Grandmum sent me to come get you." She looked around his office again, "What were you listening to?"

His smile got larger, "It was a radio broadcast from the BBC about black holes."

Shyla merely blinked. Sometimes she wasn't sure if her grandpa was actually a dentist, or really a scientist in a secret life. "Come on, Grandmum is waiting for us."

A/N: I hope this chapter met all of your expectations. I am planning on getting another chapter out in the next few days, as I have the holidays free from university classes. :) Til' next time. ~PurplePygmypuff