The Baby Project

Chapter Twenty Six:

'When I was a young boy.
My Father took me into the city,
to see a marching band.
He said;
"Son,
when you grow up.
Would you be the Saviour of the broken?
The beaten,
and the damned?"'

Hermione woke to find the bedroom empty of both Airyn and Malfoy.
She could see the sun stretching itself thinly through the curtains, and she
knew full well what that meant.

Christmas Day.

But she didn't feel like moving an inch out of her bed.
She just wanted to stay there all day and reflect on what had happened last
night.

When Malfoy had left the room, Hermione had sank back into her mattress and
done nothing but fret about exactly what he was thinking...what he was
doing...how he was feeling...
But he had made it more than obvious that whatever he was thinking; it
wasn't about her.

He had returned to the room half an hour later. Hermione had turned on her
side and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
He didn't speak to her...but she could still feel him glancing at her every
now and again.
He then got down onto the mattress on the floor, and after that she heard
nothing from him all night.

She did glance at him once, however.
At half five this morning, Airyn had started crying for her feed. Hermione
was well enough prepared to get up and see to her daughter, but when she
decided to get out of the bed, she looked over to see that Malfoy was
already there.

She had studied his back from beneath her warm blanket.
It was funny, but his whole persona changed as soon as he had Airyn in his
arms.
It was almost as if he was whole.

After fifteen minutes of Airyn's relentless crying, Malfoy had given up and
decided to take the baby downstairs.
Hermione must have fallen asleep not long after, because she hadn't seen him
since, and that was a few hours ago.

"Hermione?" Came a voice from the landing, disturbing her from her thoughts.

She groaned inwardly.
She wasn't ready to go downstairs yet.

"Hermione! It's Christmas day, darling!" Her father shouted cheerily at her.

She cleared her throat. "Okay Dad, I'll be down in a minute"

If this day didn't go well, then she might as well kill herself.


_______________________________________________


Draco glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as she entered the room.
He tried to keep his attention on Airyn and the way her tiny fingers were
attempting to pull on his black t-shirt, but he still couldn't help the way
his breath hitched involuntarily in his throat when he felt her presence.

What was he going to say to her?
Would he explain to her about last night, or would he just wait until the
dust settled again?

Normally the latter would make more sense...but lately he felt like he had
to be at least remotely responsible for his actions.
So he was going to explain to her, was he?

How the hell was he supposed to go about that?

If she knew exactly what he was thinking last night, just before he
had gotten up and walked away...she would probably never speak to him again.

Was it wrong?
Was it unhealthy to want someone so much that you feel like you might
combust if you don't have them?
If so, then the professionals had better cart him off to St. Mungo's
Hospital right now.
Because that was exactly how he was feeling last night.
And it scared him to his wits end.

She was supposed to be everything he didn't want.
And yet here she was...tormenting his dreams and making him send so many
mixed signals that even HE was getting confused...

Why was life so bloody difficult?

Hermione ignored him as she made herself some breakfast and then sat down at
the opposite end of the table.
She did try and glance at him a few times, but then found herself thinking
that he didn't deserve her looks of acknowledgment...what he did to her
last night was highly embarrassing...if she was a lesser woman, she might
want to get revenge in some way.

"Santa brought Airyn lots and lots of presents last night" Janet told her
daughter, and then lifted Airyn out of Draco's arms and into the air as she
carried her off into the living room.

"I think he forgot yours though, sweetheart" Paul told Hermione casually,
reading his paper.

Hermione rolled her eyes.
Every year he tried that little joke on her. He wasn't going to get her this
time.

"Maybe she's not been good enough for presents" Uncle Henry said giddily as
he made his way into the kitchen.
He gave Draco a look before bending down and giving Hermione a kiss on the
cheek. "Merry Christmas"

Hermione smiled as a present was put in front of her on the table.

She said her thank you's and then got back to eating her cereal, completely
ignoring the fact that she could feel him staring at her.

"Did you receive anything, Draco?" Paul asked the boy, finally folding his
paper in half and munching on a piece of toast.

Draco shrugged.
He didn't get presents and he never received any, either.
Nothing that was worth waiting for, anyway.

It was sad really, but he never bothered with Christmas, because Christmas
just never seemed to bother with him.
The quicker it was over, the better.

"I don't really get many presents anyway, to be honest" He told the table
casually.

Everyone looked at him.

Even Hermione couldn't seem to help herself.

Was that some kind of joke?
Did the Spoiled Brat of Slytherin think he could get away with telling such
big lies?

"Your family is rich, Draco" Hermione told him stubbornly. "I'm sure they
could afford to buy you more than enough presents to fill your third bedroom
with"

Henry looked at the boy wide eyed.
"A rich family, you say?"

Draco wanted to snarl at him.
Trust an old miser to prick up his ears as soon as the word "Money" became
involved...Muggles were just as bad as Purebloods in that respect, it
seemed.

"Not that rich" Hermione answered in a deadpan sort of tone. "Money can't
buy you everything"

Draco glanced up at her, meeting her eyes for the first time that day.
"But it helps"

Hermione held his stare for a second.
Her eyes were trying to ask him something...

Draco understood.
She was asking him why?

Maybe she didn't mean to.
Maybe her eyes just gave it away to him before she could recover
herself...but it was too late.

And he would have to answer her sooner or later.

"Everyone out of the kitchen" Janet announced suddenly, coming back into the
kitchen.
She plonked Airyn back down onto Draco's knee and started bustling about the
kitchen, in a Mrs Weasley-type fashion.
"I have cooking to do, and I am not going to get anything done with everyone
in here"

Hermione rolled her eyes and then pushed her cereal bowl away from her.
She slowly got up from her chair and started walking into the living room.

"Do you want to take Airyn?" Draco asked her, also getting up from the
chair. "I've got to go back upstairs"

Hermione nodded, deciding not to look at him as he handed the baby over to
her.
She noticed the pretty little pink dress on her daughter, finding it very
cute that she could manage to look so sweet

"Come on Airyn" She said quietly, as she glanced at Malfoy's retreating back
making it's way up the stairs. "Let's go and see what Santa brought us..."


___________________________________


Draco sighed to himself as he sat on the edge of Granger's bed.
He had decided that he needed to take a short break from everyone...and
being in such close proximity to Granger was really starting to make him
lose his mind.
In more ways than one.

All he could smell was her scent...surrounding him and pulling him in so
deep that he was certain he would never get out.

He looked around the room momentarily before putting his head into his hands
in defeat.
The girl had really gotten to him.

If he hadn't of been as strong willed as he was last night, then there was
no way that she would be the same person that she was this morning.
If Draco had never walked away, then they would have a lot more to talk about
than why he actually did.

She had no idea what she did to him.
THAT was the insane part.
She was too innocent to even comprehend the fact that she was driving him up
the wall, just by being in the same room as him.
This morning had proved that, especially now that he was feeling an enormous
sense of guilt for just walking out on her like he had last night.
But what was he supposed to say?

"I'm sorry Granger, but if I didn't walk away last night then there's a
chance that I would never have let you out of bed for at least a
fortnight...literally"

"Fuck it" He said to himself, running his hands through his hair and
standing up from the bed.

And to top everything off;
It was Christmas Day, and he didn't even have two sickles' to rub together!
He couldn't even buy his own daughter a Christmas present!

Not that he had ever bought anyone anything before.
He never needed to.

"Fuck it all to hell"

___________________________________-

Hermione's eye's lit up with happiness.
Ron and Harry had really out-done themselves this year...although it was
apparent that Harry had more than likely had some help from Milicent,
judging by the choosing of his present.

She would have to thank them later, when they all came round for drinks.
They did it for the first time last year, and decided to repeat the
tradition this time around. Only this time they would be bringing their
significant others, and Neville had also been asked to pop round.

'Which means that bloody Pansy will probably turn up...'

Hermione stroked the leather binding of the 16th Century spell book that
Harry had bought for her, and then laughed giddily when she looked at the
baby grows that he had bought for Airyn.

'If you think I'm ugly, you should see my Father' It stated on one of
them.

Hermione knew it was probably the only way Harry was going to be able to get
a dig in about Malfoy for a while.

Malfoy.

Speaking of the pain in her arse...he had been gone for a while now...

"I want to open another one!" Chris moaned, still seeing Hermione's
unwrapped presents allover the place.

"They're Hermione's, darling" Tina told him sternly, still in her fushia
coloured night gown and looking a little worse for wear.

Hermione rolled her eyes.
As much as she loved her cousin...he really was a little brat. She sincerely
hoped that Airyn would never get like that.

"There's a small one over here, 'Mione" Janet told her, holding a long
rectangle parcel up to her daughter.

"Throw it over" Hermione told her mother, Airyn still resting on her knee.

Janet gave her a look, and walked over to her daughter with the present.
Hermione looked at the pleasant wrapping paper, shining gold with silver
angels placed here and there.
It had attracted Airyn's attention also, who decided that she wanted to try
and grab at it.

"No, no" Hermione told her, laughing slightly. "Let Mummy open it, and then
you can have the wrapping paper"

Hermione gently opened the top end of the paper, still struggling to keep
Airyn from trying to unwrap it with her. She peeked inside, but could only
see a blue box.

It had to be something expensive if it came in a box.

The Head girl slowly pulled the oblong box out of the wrapping paper.
Airyn pounced immediately, her tiny fingers fiddling with the paper,
bringing it as close to her face as she could and examining it.

The blue box was plain, and there was no sign or giveaway as to what it
could be.
Slowly, Hermione opened the box on the hinge and peered inside at her
present.

It took her breath away.

She looked up, beaming at her Mother and Father on the other side of the
room.

"Who bought this for me?"

Paul and Janet gave each other a look.

"Why? What is it?" Janet asked curiously.

Hermione held up the silver chain with the diamond encrusted locket attached
to it.
Inside was a picture of Airyn, and it looked like it was taken recently.

Paul shook his head as he came closer to examine it.
"It's very pretty...someone must really like you"

Hermione eyed him curiously.
"So it wasn't you?"

Paul shook his head.
"I don't have that type of money, sweetheart"

She looked over at her Mother.

Janet also shook her head.
"I'm afraid that I am in the same boat as your Dad"

Hermione was about to question exactly who would buy her something so
utterly priceless...
but then her answer came walking back down the stairs.


________________________________

Draco didn't quite know what to say when Granger brought him into a
bear-like hug.
And here he was thinking she hated his guts right about now.

But what did confuse him was the fact that she was thanking him.
And when he went to ask her 'what for?', Paul stepped directly on his
big toe and interrupted him.

They were all officially barking mad.

Before anyone could say anything else, Janet had ordered Granger to take
Airyn upstairs and bath her.
Draco was about to follow her footsteps and go with her, until Paul stepped
in the way and asked Draco if he would like to go into the conservatory with
him...

Which made Draco want to actually shit his pants.

Since when had another Father wanted a word with him?
Had he done something wrong?
Maybe he knew about everything that was going on with him and Granger?

"Have a seat, Draco" Paul told him casually.

Draco sat on demand.
It wasn't something that he would normally do...but he oddly respected Mr.
Granger, for some unknown reason...
Draco Malfoy...respect a Muggle?
And who said the world hadn't gone mad?

Paul pottered around with a stack of books. It reminded Draco of how Granger
seemed to handle her time keeping in the library...and now he could
definitely see where she got it all from.
Paul Granger's passion for books had been passed down to his daughter, there
was no doubt about that.

"Is there something wrong, Sir?" Draco asked politely.

Paul smiled at him.
"No, nothing wrong in the slightest." The man finally took a seat opposite
Draco, and kept smiling at him. "Myself and Janet are aware of your money
situation, and we thought that with it being Christmas and all that we would
help you out"

Draco frowned at him.
He didn't take charity.

"We are not making it out to be charity, of course" Paul told him, as if he
had read the teenagers mind. "We are more than aware that you have the money
to pay us back whenever you find it convenient"

Draco nodded, but still didn't understand what Paul was getting at.


"Our Hermione was very impressed with the necklace, though"

The penny dropped.
So THAT was why she had hugged him?
Because she thought that he had bought her a necklace?

"But she doesn't know that it was yourself and Janet who bought it for her?"

Paul shook his head.
"At the end of the day, technically the necklace came from you if you are
going to pay us back"

Draco nodded.
Then he looked over at the man.
"Why did you do that for me?"

Paul smirked.
"Because I have personally never seen our Hermione any happier. This baby
business has brought about a different change in her. She seems more content
with what she does"

Draco knew what he meant.
Airyn had brought a new lease of life into everyone that she touched.

"And because I like you, Draco" Paul told him seriously.

Draco looked at him curiously not knowing how to take this bit of news.
No one had ever told him that they liked him...being liked was not something
that Draco was used to.

"I was misunderstood when I was your age. I spent my days getting drunk, and
my nights getting even drunker...until I met Janet" Paul rested his back
fully against the back of the chair, as if he were ready to tell a story.

"Nothing pleased me, and for years I felt like I was walking around,
searching for something that I couldn't find. I grew restless more often
than not, and at times I felt like I didn't belong anywhere, and would
always be searching for something that was never there"

Draco looked at him for a moment.
"What happened?"

Paul smiled.
"I found a family. Something that changed my world around completely, and
made me feel all sorts of things that I had never felt before. It gave me a
purpose, and I knew that I would fulfill that purpose until my dying day"

Draco frowned.
"What was your purpose?"

"To be a good Father, and a loving Husband"

Draco put his head down.
He had a feeling that Paul was trying to tell him something.

"I know your family background, Draco. I know that being prejudice is
something that you have grown up with, and I would never judge anyone for
that. But I think you need to look outside at the world and take a look
around at what you have right now" Paul said quietly, pulling himself
forward on his chair and looking intently at Draco.

"Before you came here, I was expecting you to be some pompous, arrogant
little tosser who would constantly judge and ridicule both me and my
family...but you have both shocked and surprised me to my core." Paul smiled
then. "So either our Hermione has been telling porkie pies for the past six
years, or you have practically grown into a man within these past few
months?"

Draco sat in silence.

Now that was something to think about.


_____________________________


She still couldn't believe that after all that had happened last night, that
Malfoy had actually gone out of his way to buy her a present.


Her head was practically in the clouds as she was bathing Airyn.
When she had come back down the stairs once more, she found Malfoy sitting
in the living room with her Dad and Uncle Henry.

She felt guilty that she had not bought anything for him.
But then, she hadn't realised that they were that close that they should be
buying things for each other...
It was a very tricky business, this whole enemies- to- acquaintances -to-
don't -know- what -to -call -it stuff...
Someone should really write a book about it.

To Hermione, last night was now forgotten.
Maybe he didn't want her as anything more than a friend (if he was actually
calling her a friend now), but the present that he had bought for her had
shown her that he had more respect for her than she thought he did.

Okay, so maybe it did hurt a hell of a lot to know that he had decided that
he didn't want her in THAT way...but at least they got on well enough now to
be able to communicate with each other and be able to talk to one another
without causing a full-scale battle.

"Where are all your party hats?" Hermione asked the men in the room with a
smile.

Draco looked around at her curiously.
He instantly noticed the necklace around her neck, and was about to say
something about it looking like something his Mother owned, but he bit his
tongue.
He felt guilty for deceiving her about the necklace.
But he didn't think they were at the 'present giving' stage, yet. Hell, he
didn't know what stage they were at.

However, after his conversation with Mr.Granger, he was feeling more and
more encouraged to take the path he wanted to take, rather than the one that
his logic was telling him to.

Did he want to go around being miserable, but doing the 'right' thing...
or did he want to go around feeling absolutely on top of the world, but be
doing the 'wrong' thing...

'The one that makes you the happiest is usually the one that causes the
most trouble'

Stupid logic.

"Dinner is ready!" Janet shouted from the kitchen.

A smile rose to Draco's face as he saw Paul and Henry practically stampede
their way out of the living room, leaving just himself, Granger and Airyn in
the room.

Hermione gave him a slight smile.
Taking a deep breath, she began to speak.
"What happened last night doesn't need to be talked about" She told him
quietly. "I completely understand your position, and I realise that you
would rather get along with me than jeopardize our partnership with crossed
lines-"

Draco went to open his mouth to speak.

"-No" She told him, still smiling. "It's okay, I understand the situation
now. If we let this go any further then we will only end up getting more
confused, and messy things happen when people get confused. So let's just
see if we can get along and be...dare I say it?...Friends"

Draco felt like lead had dropped into his stomach.
Hermione felt exactly the same.

It sounded like the civil thing to do.
Be friends...don't let it get messy...
It still hurt like a bitch...but what could she do when she knew that he
didn't want anything else from her apart from being her friend? If they
could call it friendship?

Hermione gave him a huge smile before leaving the room.
A smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

For once in his life, Draco felt like he was at a dead end.
Nowhere to turn.
Just as Mr. Granger had given him this big speech about Family, and being
saved by the ones you love the most...and then Granger goes and pulls this
on him?

Irony...you sick son of a bitch.



_________________________________________________

"Hermione!"

"Oh, it's so nice to see you!"

Ginny threw her arms around her friend warmly.
Then she quickly looked over in Malfoy's direction and cooed at the baby.

"Awww, Hermione! She's absolutely gorgeous!" She exclaimed, walking up to the
baby in Draco's arms and plucking her out of them. "She definitely has your
looks"

Hermione giggled, but tried to hide it when she felt Malfoy glaring at her.

Draco decided to ignore the red-headed imbecile.
But what was he to do when Granger's home was suddenly beginning to fill
itself with her friends?
He could see Weasley and Patil attempting to get their double-joined pram
through the door with no success in the slightest. And behind them he could
make out the mass of black messy hair...Potter, no doubt.

"I hope we're having drinks" Seamus said, more to himself than anyone as he
took off his coat. "This parenting business has really been taking it's toll
on me lately...I think I'm coming down with some sort of flu"

"Man flu" Parvati said, rolling her eyes and pushing her way into the house.

Draco could see Weasley glaring at her from behind her back, obviously
disgruntled because she had left him to tend to their currently crying
twins.

"Make your way into the Living room when you're ready" Hermione told
everyone, instinctively going over to Ron and helping him with the pram. "My
parent's and family will be going out shortly, so we can have the house to
ourselves"

Draco made a motion for Ginny to give the baby back to him, but she ignored
him and carried Airyn into the living room, plopping herself down onto the
soft cushions of the couch.

Draco sighed and rubbed his temples.
He could tell what sort of night he was about to have...and having
Won-Won there was only going to add fuel to the fire that Granger had
decided to trample allover...

Hermione glanced at him from the corner of her eye as she lifted little Joon
out of the pram and into the air.
Something seemed so tampered with him...like there was something he was
trying to hide.

She had sensed it when they had been eating their Christmas dinner. It was
like he held an air of confusion about him...almost as if he wasn't sure
what he was supposed to do with himself.
Maybe it was because he was eating in front of her family.
But that doesn't explain the way he kept looking at her...the sideways
glances when he thought she wasn't looking...

How confusing can one boy be?
Here she was, thinking she was doing the right thing...telling him they
should be friends and forget what was gradually happening to them...and now
he was doing exactly the opposite!

"Are you Okay, 'Mione?" Ron asked her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

She took a moment before answering.
Was she okay?

She smiled at him.
Good, solid, dependable Ron...
The only thing that he had done wrong was not realise that she had feelings
for him...

Had feelings for him...

"I'm fine" She told him before turning around, coming into eye contact with
Malfoy, who seemed to be standing awkwardly in the doorway leading to the
Living room.

She frowned at him.
"What's wrong with you?"

Draco scowled at her, looking like a bad-tempered five year old.
"Nothing"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.
She was not in the mood for this right now. Her friends were here, it was
Christmas day and all she wanted to do was have a good time.

Yes, she understood that Malfoy might not yet be as comfortable around her
friends as he could be...what did she expect? All those years of hating
each other do not just suddenly disappear within the blink of an eye...hell,
sometimes she felt like she could hate him allover again...

But those were the days when she didn't know where he was coming from...or
the days when his pig-ignorance seemed to show up all over again...

She watched as Malfoy stared right past her, suddenly taking an interest in
Ron.
When she turned, she could see Ron examining him in much the same way...his
eyes slowly becoming dark.

She would not have fighting in her house.
Not now, not tonight and certainly not ever.

"Malfoy, go into the kitchen and get the glasses from the cabinet, please?"
Hermione asked him, seeing him folding his arms defiantly.

He didn't move for a few moments, but then shook his head slightly and made
a sharp exit...glaring at Ron all the while.

Hermione watched him go.
"I'm sorry, Ron" She said, turning to her friend. "I don't know what's
gotten into him..."

Ron seemed to have a fairly good idea.


______________________________________________________

"How have they been?"

"Joon came down with a runny nose two days ago...but it was nothing that my
mum couldn't fix" Pavati told Hermione, sounding disinterested.

Hermione watched her as she flicked her way through a Women's Muggle
magazine, a bored look on her face.

"Me and Millicent have decided to start reading bedtime stories to Freddie
now...maybe he will be smart enough to read them on his own by the time it
reaches the end of the project" Harry told the room from his seat on the
couch.

Everyone looked over at him quietly.
For some reason, the mention of 'the end' had brought a sombre mood to the
room.

That was until the front door was opened, and in stepped a very flustered
looking Pansy Parkinson, followed by a deflated looking Neville who was
pushing their son in the pram.

Draco stood quietly by the entrance of the living room, not stepping over the
threshold.
The only place left to sit was next to Weasley, and he would be damned if he
was going to grace that redheaded buffoon
with his presence...

"Merry Christmas, everyone" Neville called from the hallway, taking his son
out of the pram.
But instead of keeping him, he did something that everyone in the room
seemed to be in awe at...he handed baby Bert over to his Mother...who cooed
and smiled at her son, almost like she had seen him for the first time.
Draco smiled, beside himself.
Obviously he knew something that none of the others knew, not even Granger.

Pansy smiled warmly at Draco as she passed him, walking into the livingroom.
"I was told by Longbottom that it would be good for me to mingle" She
whispered in the blonde's ear. "But he told me that you were here, too. So I
realised that it can't be all that bad"

Draco smirked.
It was good to see her back to her usual self...well, without trying to
molest him at every given opportunity, anyway.

"I've brought party hats!" Luna announced, delving into a big ruck-sack and
spreading tinsel covered santa's hats allover Hermione's livingroom table.

"And I've brought the fire whiskey and butterbeers!" Ron told the group
proudly.

Parvati shot him an evil look.
"You're not drinking tonight. You're looking after the twins"

Ron's face deflated.

Hermione looked around at Draco.
"Are you having a drink?"

The group looked over at him.

What was he? A prize pig at a show-and-tell parade?

"I'll have one or two, yeah" He said quietly, folding his arms over his
chest.

Hermione nodded.
"Okay, I guess that means that I am the official baby minder of the
night..."

A piercing scream sudenly came from the corner.
Ron moaned.

"Sorry" He said to the group, getting up from his place and putting Benny on
his shoulder. "They feed irregularly...so when one is okay, the other one
never is"

Draco smirked.
It was quite obvious that Weasley was rather stressed about the whole
parenting thing.

"You can use one of the bedrooms upstairs if you want to" Hermione told him.
"Go somewhere quiet and see if he calms down"

"Thanks" Ron told her, using his free shoulder to barge past Draco in the
hallway.

"Watch it" Draco snarled quietly, so only Ron could hear.

Ron glared at him. "I'm not the one who needs to be watching anything..."

And before Draco had a chance to take the conversation any further, Ron
disappeared up the stairs.

Draco had half a mind to run up after him and throttle him like the earwig
that he was. But he had to remember exactly where he was, and the type of
manners that had been drilled into him when it came to being respectful of
other people's houses.

"Shall we get started?" Harry asked suddenly.

Ginny nodded in excitement. "I love playing our Christmas games!"

Draco groaned inwardly.
Christmas games? How sad...

But Draco's eyes were suddenly on storks when he saw the bottle of bright
pink coloured liquid that Potter had just dug out of his bag.

"What's that?" Seamus asked before Draco could.

Harry smirked.
"This is called 'Gryffindor Christmas'"

Hermione's eyes widened.
"Harry Potter! We can't drink that now! We have the children to think
about!"

"What's in it?" Luna asked, looking curiously at the bottle and
unconsciously drawing her babies wooly-hat-covered head closer to her chest,
as if trying to protect her.

"it's 73% alcohol proof" Ginny answered. "Fred and George concocted it
during their last year at Hogwarts...but obviously they couldn't sell it to
anyone because they would have gotten into more trouble than usual"

"So it's strong, then?" Neville asked.

"Ron had a hangover for two weeks after one glass" Harry told him with a
laugh. "Since then we have only ever taken it in shots...anything more than
that is lethal"

"But we can't drink because of the kids" Pansy stated, and once more
everyone looked around at her with an expression of shock on their faces.

"She's right" Hermione agreed.

"I'm sure one shot won't hurt, Granger" Draco spoke from the door.

Hermione scowled at him.
"Fine. But if I have to put you to bed in a drunken stupor, then there is no
way that I am even going to THINK about talking to you in the morning"

A few of the students sniggered.
Including Draco.

It was only alcohol...how bad could it be?

____________________________________________

It was bad.

Obviously a few of them had never really had alcohol before...well, weren't
they the stupid ones?

Draco didn't feel too bad.
Every now and again he could feel the room spinning a little, but he could
control himself enough to know that he shouldn't have to drink anymore,
otherwise he would be completley on his arse.

After half an hour of testing the product, and laughing hysterically at the
looks on everyone's faces when they took their shot; Seamus told everyone
that they should try a drinking game.

Hermione, of course had refrained from drinking.
She was currently pre-occupying her time with Airyn, Antonia and Freddie who
were all lying side by side in Airyn's play pen. Pansy was sat on the couch
watching the shinannigans with Benny and Joon on each knee, and her son Bert
in his stroller next to her side of the couch.

"It's basically called; 'I've never'" Seamus told them. "You give
people a sentence that begins with 'I've never', and if anyone HAS
actually done what that person says, then they have to take a shot"

Harry frowned.
"I don't get it"

Milicent laughed.
"You never do"

Draco, who was now sat on the beanbag by the television piped up.
"Basically, if you turned around and said; "I've never shagged a
girl", then anyone who HAS shagged a girl has to take a shot"

Ron scowled at him.
"Trust you to make it dirty"

Draco smirked.
"It's not like you would have to drink anyway, Weasley...so what are you
getting so hyped up about?"

Ron didn't retort, but just stuck his fingers up at the blonde instead.

"Anyway" Seamus butted in. "Who wants to start?"

The room was silent for a moment.

"I've never been in Hagrid's 'Care of magical creatures' class and wanted to
leave" Ginny said suddenly.

Everyone looked at eachother.

Everyone downed their shot at the sametime, laughing at eachother as they
did so.

"I've never actually seen ANYTHING in Professor Trelawney's crystal ball"
Parvati admitted with a smirk.

Ron, Harry and even Hermione looked over at her with shocked expressions.

Everyone but Luna drank held their shot.

They looked over at her curiously.

"What did you see in the crystal ball?" Seamus asked her skeptically.

Luna smiled dreamily.
"I was looking deep within the ball and saw a stange girl looking right at
me..."

Harry rolled his eyes.
"Your reflection doesn't count"

Luna smiled.
"It was my parallel me...the me from the other Universe"

Harry decided not to go any further with that statement.
"okay...I've never pictured ANY member of staff naked"

At this, a few of them were eyeing eachother up, wondering what they were
going to do.
Draco could see the cogs working in some of their heads...wondering if they
should admit it...

'Might aswell get the ball rolling...'

Draco lifted his shot glass and downed the liquid.
He heard Granger's small gasp from behind him and looked at her with a small
smile.

But that seemed to get everyone moving, because more of them were suddenly
raising their glasses to their lips and downing their own shots.

"Who?" Hermione asked no one in particular from the play pen.

Draco knew instantly that it was aimed at him.
"Professor Sprout" Draco admitted. "Second year...she might of been on the
large side, but she had one huge pair of-"

"Stop" Hermione told him. "It's making me ill"

"Professor Quirrel" Parvati said, looking shamefaced. "Something about that
turban that he worse in First year really turned me on..."

"You do know he was using that turban to hide voldemort, don't you?" Ron
asked her, his eyes looking at her skeptically.

The girl shrugged.
"Who cares?"

"I've never pictured having sex with anyone in this room" Seamus butted in
suddenly.

Everyone sat there with their mouths open, not quite sure that their ears
had heard him properly.

What was even more startling was the fact that he had just drank to his own
sentence!

"Seamus! That's such a disgusting thing to - HARRY!" Millicent barked.

"What?" He asked after downing his own shot. "I'm drunk and I'm likely to
never remember this by the morning anyway..."

Everyone seemed to get a little more daring as Parvati, Ron AND Draco all
drank their shots.

Hermione's eyes glanced over to both Malfoy and Ron.

Who exactly had they been -

"-I've never slept with anyone in this room"

Parvati drank to her own sentence, too.

"PARVATI PATIL!"

Harry snorted loudly.

"Damnit" Pansy said outloud. "If I had a shot I could drink to this one!"

Draco chuckled to himself.

"I don't know what you're laughing at" Parvati told him, a smirk playing on
her lips. "You should be taking your shot"

Draco looked at her for a moment.
He could see that look in her eyes. That look of determination that she had
always held right before they would fall into bed with eachother...
He got the feeling that she was trying to get back there...

Draco took his shot, and without hesitation;
"I've never slept with Parvati Patil in a broom cupboard..." Draco stated,
before instantly downing his shot. "...and then regretted it later"

Hermione watched the scene play out before her.
The looks that Parvati was giving him...the smoldering eyes and the sideways
glances...
The way that Malfoy was being with her.
The way he HAD been with her...physically...they had been joined in the
past, and by the looks of it neither of them seemed to forget it...

Hermione's stomach gave a sickening jolt.
Something inside her had decided to rear its ugly head...and she knew it was
jealousy.

"Give me that bottle" She stated, getting up from by the play pen and making
her way towards the centre of the livingroom.

She picked to bottle up from the table and went with her instincts.
She took a few gulps from it, wincing at the acidic taste burning through
her throat as she did.

Draco looked at her curiously.
He could tell just from her body language that something was wrong with her.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked her, getting up from his place and trying to
take the bottle away from her. "This stuff is lethal" He told her.

Hermione let him take the bottle.
"One swig isn't going to hurt me"


______________________________________________________


The room was spinning.

She knew that her friends were probably nowhere near as intoxicated as she
was...they were still apparently playing their party games and having a good
time...
She however, was having a hard time being able to hold her head up.

How stupid could she have been?
Getting jealous and acting on impulse like that. What was she trying to
achieve?

She was supposed to be the sensible one, looking after the babies. At the
moment, she could barely look after herself.

"Drink this water, 'Mione" Ginny told her, placing the cool glass on the
table.

Hermione lifted her head up.
"I can't or I'll be sick" She groaned.

It had taken alot out of her to get to the kitchen.
The 'Gryffindor Christmas' had worked its way through her body quickly, and
within forty-five minutes she had found herself feeling the full effects of
her foolish behaviour.

"Close your eyes and put your head on the table" Ginny said, patting her
hair lightly. "You'll be alright, you just need to try and concentrate on
not throwing your guts up"

Hermione was about to retort when she heard someone else enter the room.
She tried to concentrate on the figure infront of her, but it was no good.

"I think she just needs her bed"

Ron.

"Do we know which room is hers?" Ginny asked him.

"I'm sure 'Mione could tell us when we get there?"

"Maybe we should get Malfoy? He should know..."

"No" Ron told her defiantly. "I'll take her, then at least I know that she
got there in one piece..."

Hermione wanted to tell Ron that Malfoy was perfectly capable of taking
her...but all that seemed to escape from her mouth was mumbles and groans
that did not form coherent sentences.

"Fine. But come back down and we can check on her every half an hour" Ginny
told him, before Hermione could hear her footsteps walking away.

Hermione suddenly felt herself being hoisted up from her chair. She felt her
arm go around Ron's shoulder, and his left arm was holding her around her
waist to support her.

"Come on, 'Mione" He told her. "Walk with me and show me where your room is"

Hermione wanted to tell him that Malfoy would probably be better at this. He
was stronger and could probably hold her better if she fell...but again,
nothing came out of her mouth but jumbled words that made no sense.

Hermione felt her feet trip on the stairs.

"Oops!" Ron laughed. "It's Okay, I've got you"

But he was apparently quite drunk too, because Hermione could feel him
fumbling his way up the stairs with her.

"I don't want...I want Mal...I need..."

"You're making no sense at all" Ron told her as they finally reached the top
of the stairs. "We had best get you into bed as soon as possible..."

Hermione felt alarm bells going off in her head.
For some reason, she suddenly felt uncomfortable by the way that Ron was
being with her.

Hermione stopped walking suddenly, and tried to take her arm from around
Ron's shoulder.
She hit him over the head by accident, and stumbled slightly, stepping on
his toe.

Ron keeled over, after being spiked in the foot from Hermione's stiletto,
and unfortunately brought Hermione down to the ground with him.

This was a predicament that Hermione had not expected.
Ron. On top of her.

She could see him through her blurry vision.
He was looking at her face, trying to see some kind of emotion or feeling
there...looking for something that matched his own look.

"Hermione?" He asked quietly, looking into her eyes.

She could see three of him.
"You're hurting me" She managed to say.

He ignored her, running his fingers through her hair.

She took a moment to try and assess the situation.
But unfortunately, her brain was too fucked up by alcohol that she could
barely remember who he was, never mind what he appeared to be doing.

And then she felt it.
Or rather, them.

His lips were pressed against hers aggressively, his tongue trying to seek
entrance to her mouth.

She mumbled in displeasure, trying to move her head away, only to find that
it was trapped between the hands that were holding it. Hermione started to
buck underneath him, her alcohol-induced state not quite fully understanding
the seriousness of the situation.
Hermione had obviously given Ron the wrong impression, as he started to buck
back against her.

Hermione finally recovered her brains and her strength long enough to pull
her face free, and use her jellified arms to push him from her slightly.

"Please" She told him quietly. "Don't..."

Ron stopped immediately.

"I can't..." She told him, finally pushing him fully away from her and she
shimmied her way across to the opposite side of the landing, next to the
bathroom door.

Ron looked at her with wide eyes, apparently just realising exactly what he
had just attempted to do.
"I'm...I'm so sorry"

Hermione didn't look at him.
"Don't..." She told him. She pulled her legs up to her chin and buried her
head there, hiding her face from view. "...just leave"

"But I thought-" Ron began

"You shouldn't have" Hermione told him, trying her best to sound angry.

She didn't look up when he heard him vacate the landing and make his way
downstairs.

Hermione stayed there for what seemed like hours.
Just crying.

Until she felt the presence of someone familiar.

____________________________________________


Draco had looked all downstairs.
He wasn't too worried about the fact that Granger was nowhere to be seen, it
wasn't as if she was in a strange place where she was likely to get
lost...but judging by how drunk she looked, Draco had realised that she
could have an accident inside her own home.

"Where's Granger?" Draco asked Ginny as he entered the living room once more.

"Ron took her to her room about ten minutes ago" Ginny told him plainly,
stroking the sleeping babies head that was currently resting on his
shoulder.

Draco's eyes darkened.
"And where is he now?"

Ginny shrugged, and then gave him a dirty look.
"Probably still up there" She told answered. "He is her friend, you know.
He's allowed to help her"

Draco felt like snarling.
So the little Weasley girl was just as uptight as her brother, was she?

"I'm putting Airyn to bed" He told her matter of factly, making his way
towards the hallway.

Ginny followed him.
"You can't" She told him. "Wait half an hour for 'Mione to fall asleep
properly"

Draco looked around at her.
"If you happen to be that drunk on alcohol then the chances are likely that
you will fall asleep by the time your head hits the pillow".

And with that, he turned and headed up the stairs.

Ginny watched him go.
Not sure whether there was another reason for why he was so persistent on
wanting to put Airyn to bed.

_________________________________________


Ginny found Ron back in the kitchen, sitting at the table and looking into
space.

"What are you doing down here?" She asked him curiously. "I thought you were
supposed to be helping 'Mione?"

Ron looked at her, his face sullen.
"I tried" He told her simply.

Ginny looked at her brother for a moment.
"Is she okay?"

Ron shrugged.
"I don't know" He answered. "I think so..."

Did he dare tell his little sister what had happened upstairs?

"What do you mean, you think so?" She asked him, folding her arms over her
chest.

Ron's eyes met with hers briefly.
"Yeah...she's fine" He lied.

Maybe if he lied about it, then they would both be able to forget about it.


_______________________________________

Draco could still hear everyone enjoying themselves downstairs as he made
his way up to the top floor.
Airyn's breath was tickling his neck, but somehow he found it very pleasant.
Maybe it was the reassurance of knowing that she was sleeping peacefully.
He slowly turned the corner towards the dark landing, making sure he didn't
disturb the floorboard which seemed to squeak a little underneath his feet.

But that problem was nothing compared to what awaited him as he rounded the
last corner, towards Granger's room and the bathroom.
He squinted at first, not sure whether he was seeing it properly.
But then he heard the dull moaning.
And he knew he was right.

"Granger?" He asked quietly, still not quite sure if he should believe his
eyes.

He heard nothing but a muffled sob.

Draco slowly walked towards her, adjusting Airyn onto his other shoulder so
he could bend down and get a better look at the girl who was now curled up
on the floor outside the bathroom door.

"Go away" She said through her sobbing, not looking up at him.

Draco frowned.
What happened to Weasley putting her to bed?

"What are you doing out here?" He asked her, wincing when he felt Airyn
moving around on his shoulder. If they weren't careful then she was going to
wake up.

"Don't know" Was all she seemed to be able to come out with.

Draco sighed.
Obviously Granger had never been this intoxicated before.
Hopefully this would put her off for life.

He stood up slowly.
He needed to get the girl into bed before she woke up with a hangover and a
stiff neck in the morning.

"I'm going to put Airyn to bed, and then I'm going to come back and get you"
Draco told her in a whisper.

Hermione looked up slowly as he said this.
Her vision was still swimming, and for the faintest second she thought that
it was Ron staring back at her in the darkness.
But to her utter relief, she found Malfoy staring worriedly at her instead.

She said nothing and watched him charge down the hallway and into her
bedroom.
Hermione lay there for what seemed like hours. Wondering if her mind had was
still as nonfunctional as her body seemed to be.

What happened to the days when it was Malfoy whom she would hate to have to
rescue her from a position like this?
Now, she seemed glad of it.

She heard his footsteps return to her after a few minutes.
Then she felt his presence as he bent down so he was at her level.

"Were you trying to get to the bathroom?" He asked her quietly, an amused
smile playing on his lips as he pushed back the bushy mane that had decided
to cover her face from view. "Is that why you're on the floor?"

Hermione shook her head.
"Never made it"

Draco frowned.
"What do you mean?"

Hermione realised that she had one of two options;

1. Tell Malfoy about what happened with herself and Ron.

2. Say nothing and just mumble something incoherent.

"S'nuffinkthatmatters"

Second option it was, then.

Draco didn't take his eyes from her.
He knew drunk people when he saw them, having been in that position himself.
And he knew distressed people when he saw them, too.

"Are you sure?" He asked her.

Hermione nodded slowly.
If Malfoy found out about what Ron had done then surely he would -

Hang on...what would he do?
They weren't involved...the only thing they were involved in was bringing up
their child...

But still.
There was no need to make Malfoy hate Ron further.

'Think about it in the morning...I'm sure it will make more sense
then' Hermione thought to herself as she felt Malfoy taking her
shoulders gently, hoisting her up from the floor and into a shaky standing
position.

Hermione shuddered involuntarily when Malfoy's arm snaked around her waist.
It didn't feel like it had with Ron...Malfoy's hold was possessive and
scolding...like he was holding her there and would never let her go.

Draco slowly guided Hermione down the hallway, watching her stumble as they
went.
Hermione resisted the urge to throw up a few times along the way, and Draco
had decided that it would be best to get a sick bucket to put it beside her
bed for her to use through the night.

When they reached the bedroom, Draco turned off the main light, so Granger's
eyes weren't blinded by the sudden contrast to the landing.
She stumbled again, but Draco caught her and walked with her to the bed,
where he plopped her down onto it and watched her fall back onto the soft
mattress.

"Feel ill" She told him, putting her left arm over her face as she shimmied
further up the bed using her feet.

Draco let out a low chuckle.
"That's what generally happens when you've had too much to drink, Luv"

Hermione shook her head again.
"Don't like it" She said, sounding like a spoiled five year old.

Draco sighed again.
Only Granger could be stubborn when she was half-tanked.

"I'll go and get the sick bucket"

He turned to leave.

"No" She said suddenly.

Draco looked around at her, to find her suddenly sitting up and looking at
him with a mixture of angst and fear on her face.

"What?"

"Don't go"

"But you need a buck-"

"Don't leave me"

Draco looked at her for a moment.
Something had definitely spooked her.

Draco nodded, and then sat down on the small chair opposite the bed.
"I'll wait until you've fallen asleep" He told her. "Then i'll go and get
the bucket"

Hermione smiled drunkenly.
She knew that she shouldn't be asking him to stay, she knew it would only
cause more trouble.
But she didn't want to be on her own, and she certainly didn't want Malfoy to
be downstairs with Parvati.
And then there was Ron.

Hermione shuddered.

"Cold?" Draco asked her, getting up from the chair and going over to the
window which was just visible behind Airyn's crib.

Hermione nodded.
But she wasn't cold.

Draco looked at the window curiously.
It wasn't open.

He looked around at Granger.
"Maybe you should get in the bed covers?"

Hermione nodded, attempting to roll off the bed to roll them down.
But her alcohol-addled brain seemed to miscalculate the distance between
herself and the amount of space she actually had on her bed, because she
suddenly found herself rolling right over and landing on the floor.

Draco had to suppress a laugh, for fear of Granger throwing him a dirty look
and the fact that he could possibly wake up Airyn.

He walked over to Granger and reached out his hand.
Hermione looked at it for a minute, and then looked up at him.

Draco saw that something there in her eyes again.
And he also began to notice just how sparkly her eyes seemed to be when she
was drunk.

"Thank you" She told him as he helped her up once more.

Together they folded down the covers, and Hermione fell into bed once more,
pulling them up to her chin.

"Better?" He asked her.

Hermione smiled.
"A little"

Draco smirked.
"Anything else?"

Hermione looked at him for a while, her half-shut eyes still looking deep in
thought.

"Lie with me?" She asked him, before she had time to realise what she was
saying.

Draco wasn't sure whether he had heard her right.
Did she just say -

"What?" He asked her.

Hermione put her eyes elsewhere, unable to look at him.
It wasn't quite rejection, but she knew she couldn't face saying it again.

What the hell did she say it for in the -

"Did you just ask me to lie with you?" He asked her curiously.

Hermione took a moment before holding her breath and nodding.
For some reason, her body seemed to think that it would be a good idea to
lie with him next to her...maybe it was for comfort...

Hermione didn't hear the answer.
She felt it instead.

Her eyes flew open as far as they could when she felt the mattress press down
next to her, and she turned slowly when she saw Malfoy's head connect with
the pillow behind her.

"Only until you fall asleep" Draco told her quietly, mumbling into the
pillow.

For some reason, that horrible feeling that was making her feel sick was
gone.
Evapourated.

Along with her sanity, it would seem.

Hermione lay there in the silence, her eyes fluttering closed every now and
again, only to open them and check whether Malfoy was still there, and it
wasn't just some embarrassing dream.
But she could hear him breathing behind her, and she was sure that she could
feel him looking at the back of her head.

Draco could hear the distant sounds of the party quieting down downstairs.
He wasn't sure how everyone was getting home, but right now he didn't care.
Here he was with Granger and his baby all in the one room, like a family
should be.

Draco wanted to reach out and put his fingers through Granger's hair, but he
decided against it.
He had promised himself that he would stay here until Granger fell asleep,
and then he would have to go back to his little cardboard box room, where he
had been staying for the whole of the holidays.

After a while he could hear Granger's breathing deepen, and he knew she was
asleep.
He took the chance to get a better look at her.

He rose from his place and looked over at her.
She was lying there looking so peaceful...clutching the necklace that
'Draco' had bought her for Christmas.

He still felt guilty about that.
Maybe he would have to have a word with Mr. Granger and tell him to put it
right...

Draco put his head back onto the pillow's once more, and told himself that
he would have five more minutes until he got up and went to his own bed...

...but those five minutes never came...



____________________________


A/N: So...they're finally getting somewhere, eh??? lol

Or are they??

Hope this chapter was alright for everyone...i just felt like writing the effects of alcohol, and how it can make people neglect their responsibilities...like Hermione. She had a responsibility to Airyn and she shot it out of the water because she got jealous...

Thanks to everyone who keeps reviewing, by the way!!!!
Hope this is still keeping you interested!! ... and the best is yet to come!!!!

xxx

P.S - for everyone who wanted notifying when i am updating, i have all of your emails stalled into my hotmail account.

And if anyone else wants updates, i will be only too happy to oblige!!


PPS: Kikirikki:

Unfortunately my hotmail account doesnt seem to register your email address.
do you have another one i can use to send you updates? Let me know x