HERMIONE

What was I thinking? I nearly didn't come, but here I am sitting in The Leaky Cauldron waiting for Viktor. I'm feeling guilty. I never told Draco who I was meeting, 'just a friend', I told him. I'm not sure how he would feel if I told him who I was meeting. Although to be honest he seemed pretty distracted himself today. Both of us had left work early, he had a midwife appointment with Padma.

I quickly throw the rest of my wine back at the thought of him with Padma. Hypocrite that I am, sitting here waiting for my own ex-lover. I laugh to myself at how complicated my life has become. I never thought I would have to cope with all this. I never thought I would be hopelessly in love with Draco Malfoy of all people either. This whole situation is just absurd.

Sometimes I childishly think that this is all some kind of weird dream and I'll be waking up soon. I often hoped that during my days travelling with Harry and Ron, but then I was basically a child. I wave the bartender over and order another wine. I check my watch while I wait, it's still early. I shouldn't be meeting Viktor for another quarter of an hour, so the sound of voice makes me jump.

"Have you been waiting long?" my pulse quickens at his unexpected appearance, my hand on my heart from shock.

I laugh. "No, not long." I point to the stool beside me. "What are you drinking?"

"Just a butterbeer please. I have training early tomorrow." He waits as I order his drink when my wine arrives.

Awkward silence fills the air for a moment while I search my brain for something to say. But he speaks first.

"I didn't think I would see you while I was here." He smiles at me. "I thought about trying to find you, I didn't know whether you would want to see me."

"I didn't think you'd want to see me." I laugh and take another sip of wine. "How have you been?"

"I've been good actually." His face lit up and I start to feel at ease. "How about you?"

"So, so." I shrug. Even now I find it hard to lie to him, we were always so close.

"Talk to me." He says. Just like that.

And I can't stop it. It all flows out. Everything. I spill everything I've ever thought and felt since I got back. After less than five minutes of his company he has me opening up. He doesn't interrupt he doesn't throw in his feelings on every little thing. He lets me get it all off my chest. In the middle ordering another round of drinks when I hadn't even realized I finished my last. I finish with my head in my hands but feeling so much better for unburdening.

"Wow. Draco Malfoy?" He asks, and I just nod. "That I didn't see coming. So you love him?"

"Yes" I whisper.

"You're sure he loves you?" he raises his eyebrows when he asks the question like he feels sorry for me.

"Yes." I have more conviction this time. Apart from my love for him it was the only thing I was certain of.

"Then what is the problem?" He asks. Has he not been listening?

"Someone else is having his child." I say with a small amount of anger.

"That should have nothing to do with it." He says waving his hand at me. I'm shocked my mouth is open and I'm staring at him.

"How can you say that?"

"Easily." I watch as he takes a relaxed sip of his butterbeer. "I have a little bit of experience."

"You... experience... What?" I'm stumbling over my words. I don't understand.

"I'm engaged." He said with a shy smile on his face.

"Err wow. Congratulations." I say shocked. "But how does that help?"

"When I met Ivana she was pregnant already. I instantly fell for her she's amazing and a muggle." The look on his face showed how much he loved her as he spoke. "We started dating and at first I found it hard to see her go off with the father to all the appointments and do the things that I couldn't really be involved in. I found it really hard."

"What changed?" I ask on the edge of my seat hoping for something that would give me hope for me and Draco.

"I realized if I wanted to keep Ivana I would have to put it behind me. We went through a patch similar to what's happening to you. It nearly drove us apart." Viktor took a deep breath before continuing. "I tried to imagine my life without her but couldn't. So I decided I would need to put all this behind me. I decided while she was having this other man's baby I was going to have her for life with children of our own. So I asked her to marry me, she said yes, and I feel not so bad now."

"I'm happy for you Viktor. I just don't know if I can do it."

"You're a strong woman." He said so matter of fact it was almost had to not believe him.

"I don't feel strong." And I didn't, I felt weak and pathetic that I couldn't put it behind me.

"If you love him like you say you do, herm-own-ninny it will come."

He puts his hand on my shoulder hand I lean in and hug him. Who knew it would take Viktor to start making me feel better about this situation.

After that we talk of other things I ask about Ivana and the baby and he asks about my travels after leaving him. We fall into an easy conversation I have truly missed with him.

DRACO

I'm pacing when Elayna arrives to go over our plan one last time. My nerves are getting more on edge the closer it gets. What if it all went all went? What if Padma realized something was wasn't right? What if I never found my answers?

I voiced my concerns to Elayna when she finally stopped my pacing.

"Calm down Draco." She had her hands on my shoulders looking up at me sympathetically. "Everything will go as planned."

"You're right." I say shaking myself. If I turn up like this Padma will know something is wrong. I need to calm myself.

I finally look at Elayna properly to fins she's already dressed as a medi-witch.

"Ok you look good." I smile feeling slightly better with how convincing she looks.

"The French uniform is much nicer." She says as she smooths out her skirt.

"Are you ready for this?" I ask pointedly. If she isn't prepared it would all fall apart. Her act was the most important part.

"Of course I am." She says turning her nose up in the air as if I'd insulted her. "I just need the polyjuice potion."

"Yes I'll get it." I dash to the bedroom to where I had hid the polyjuice potion Harry had given me yesterday and brought it back out. "Where did you get the hair?"

"Some unsuspecting muggle in the park." She said taking the bottle from me. "I just used a summoning charm."

I check the time. I have to go to Padma soon the appointment is in ten minutes. My palms are suddenly sweaty. I look at Elayna and her face softens.

"Let's get this done, shall we?"

"Ok." I nod and hand her my wand which she will need as the charm can only work if the prospective fathers.

"Remember." She says handing me hers. "It glows gold the baby is yours, if it glows black…"

"It's not." I finish or her.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this Draco." She says taking me into a hug.

"I know." I whisper as I hug her back taking what comfort I can.

I pull away and make my way to the fire place. As I step into the flames I catch a glimpse of Elayna adding the hairs to the bottle and grimacing at the change. As soon as I've said the address I begin to spin and see the other fireplaces rush past before coming to a stop at Padma's.

"Where have you been? Your almost late." This is the way Padma greets me.

"Why is the midwife here already?" I ask knowing full well they aren't.

"No." She says looking at me obviously angry or upset over something. "Dust yourself off they will be here any second."

I do as I'm told and start to pat the ash away as Padma moves around straitening the room. Just as I finish there is a knock at the door and my stomach gives a small flip.

I straighten myself up as Padma rushes to the door. I don't know what's wrong with her, what's making her so on edge but I don't plan on making it worse. At least not right now.

"I'm sorry." I hear Padma say from the door way. "What's your name? I've never seen you before."

"It's Clara." I hear the reply as they walk into the room. "Your usual midwife is sick today I'm just covering."

I hold out my hand to the woman I know to be Elayna. I'm impressed she chose well. "Draco Malfoy."

"And your dad?" she asks shaking my hand in return.

"That's me." I say but what I'm really thinking is who the hell knows.

"Ok mum" Elayna says. "Why don't you take a seat and we'll go through some basics ok?"

Padma sits and I listen as Elayna asks some basic questions. I'm amazed at how good she is at this. I know I shouldn't be. She told me this was her best rotation when she was training. This last about fifteen minutes and I almost forget what I'm actually there for.

"Right then." Elayna pronounces bringing me out of the small stupor id fallen into. "Let's see how baby is getting on shall we?"

My pulse quickens and I think I stop breathing. We had decided that she would do some charms that Padma would recognize. Small things like hearing the heartbeat. Then she would do the paternity charm.

Elayna gives me a quick glance which I take for get ready. I watch her as she waves her wand in a fairly complicated way over the baby. I see Padma's face change slightly to confusion having not seen this charm before but before she can say anything my wand glows and I have my answer.