Broken Scales

**** Authors note ****

thank You to everyone who has been keeping up with my story! it really means a lot to me, and i want you to know there will be a few intresting turns comming up soon. :) i am also moving on the third please be patient if my updates are comming in a little slow for a while... please keep reviewing!

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The light was bright when Draco awoke, Sophia was fussing quietly on his bare chest, he groaned quietly. Strange, he thought as he looked at the tiny thing wiggling on his chest, he hadn’t slept that well in years, no dreams, just solid long sleep. Little Sophia mewed softly looking up at him. As he stood, He placed the little girl in her crib and slipped out to the bathroom.

Yawning as he padded barefoot running his fingers through his sleep tousled hair. How strange yesterday had been, his life seemed like it had been turned upside down. Every part of his soul ached for so many reasons, yesterday had drained him almost completely, all the emotions of it.

He looked at himself in the mirror and groaned again. His hair was a mess but the bags under his eyes had gone, guess it was lack of sleep after all that time. Hmmmm, then he heard it, the scream of a child. Sophia was crying he wandered out to the living room but Hermione had her already in her arms shushing her softly her wand in one hand as she read the instructions for the morning routine.

Her hair was insanity; it looked as if she had stuck her finger in a light socket, those long legs sticking out of tiny shorts. He shivered slightly watching her from the shadowed doorway Sophia had stopped crying as Hermione started to hum a soft song to her while she heated a bottle. The baby tucked under one arm against her hips.

God he was going to buy her a thousand pairs of those shorts every color in the rainbow, he stopped, horrified at this thought. You most certainly will not buy her anything, he scolded himself, She isn’t yours, hell she isn’t even interested in being yours.

Well then, he thought if he can’t have her, she cant have the shorts, that’s final, what was she thinking walking around in something like that anyway? Task one for the day: destroy all her shorts. It seemed petty but he could feel his princess in his head strutting around in the little shorts and one of his button up school shirts. Yup, that’s it, the shorts must be destroyed.

Hermione was smiling softly as she sat down to feed Sophia. Wait, his brain came to a stop, what is she feeding the doll? It’s a doll, not a real baby; Draco considered this, he will actually have to read the directions later. Hermione bent over to place Sophia back in her crib and Draco lost his balance crashing to the floor.

The evil shorts! They were FAR too short, he saw, they rose way too far up her legs. His mind was in a panic only then did he hear the crying of the baby, the fact he had actually crashed to the floor himself. Not only did he land on the floor he took an end table with him it was in splintered pieces under his body. Hermione was leaning over him now Sophia in her arms.

“What happened to you, Malfoy? Trip over your own feet?” her smile was less concerned now that she saw he wasn’t bleeding. She had gained an almost smugness to her face. How dare she taunt him with those legs and ass then laugh when he fell over?

She was an evil tease, “No, Granger, your hair frightened me so badly I thought you were being attacked by bats. Now if you will excuse me I need to get ready for class,” he was on his feet now waiving his wand lazily at the pile of broken wood, “Repairo.”

The look on her face would have frightened a lesser man, she was stunned, enraged, her face contorted in freighting ways. He would not let her see his embarrassment, but he also was in fear of her recovering from the insult and cursing him into a grease spot, so Draco retreated into his room leaving Hermione and Sophia where they stood. He could hear her stomping around the room occasionally muttering to herself in enraged tones.

Always an excellent way to start the day he thought as he shrugged into his cloak. Pissing off the woman he was forced to live with, maybe it was a good thing that he had double defense against the dark arts this morning. Let her cool her jets for a while. He loped back into the sitting room on his way to the portrait when something pink slammed into his chest. Hermione was standing there with a lump of pink canvas shoved against his chest.

“Unless you want me to take Sophia into the forbidden forest with me she is going to have to go with you.” Her eyes were mutinous, daring him to contradict her.

I have to what now? Take her to class? No! Are you out of your mind? And what is this?” he yanked the pink canvas out of her hand and realized with a sudden spasm it was a baby sling. “You’re out of your mind, Granger, I am not taking her anywhere. That is insanity!”

Hermione growled low, “Oh yes, I will take her into the forbidden forest and hope she isn’t eaten by giant spiders! Don’t be stupid, Malfoy, you have to take her today!” Hermione’s voice was gradually growing to a shrill pitch that he was sure only dogs would be able to hear.

“Well obviously not, Granger! But why do you have this need to take her anywhere? Why can’t she just stay here?” this girl was completely insane what the hell was he going to do with a fake baby strapped to his chest? I mean really! I have an image to uphold. How am I going to look in control with Sophia with me?
“Granger, is this is a revenge this because of that crack about your hair, did you even look at yourself be...”

She cut him off, fire in her eyes so intense it was almost freighting: “Malfoy, I assure you this has nothing to do with your pathetic attempt to hurt my feelings, if you had actually read the instructions we are to take Sophia with us everywhere. Would you leave a six month old child at home while you were gone for hours at a time?” she turned on her heels and stomped out of the room without a backwards glance, leaving Draco holding the pink canvas mouthing silent utterances to himself, did it really have to be a pink sling?

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Hermione was furious again, the mornings lately just seemed to bleed together with high blood pressure and anger. What the hell was wrong with the boys in her life? Where they deficient in some way? Ron and Harry were waiting in the great hall, a stack of toast sitting untouched between them in front of an empty seat.

They were both looking sad and pathetic waiting for her to come back to them, just like she always did. Her two lost boys and they were lost without her. Hermione sighed softly walking toward them to take her place between them.

“Morning, Hermione,” Ron spoke quietly, “I am sorry about last night we didn’t know what was going on, we didn’t know you had to live with Malfoy now,” his voice rose slightly in pitch, “ he didn’t, yah know, hurt you, or anything, did he?”

“No, Ron he has not hurt me, I still have all my fingers and toes, slimly little worm that he is,” she turned on Ron, a sour look on her face, “You know Ron this is really all your fault.” Her tone was matter of fact, but without hostility. “I was trying to save you from being cursed when McGonagall showed up.”

All the color in Ron’s face had instantly drained, he looked mutinous, Harry feeling the mood was going to change soon stepped in with a quick: “So what’s going on with you two, anyway? I mean, why do you have to live with the git in the first place?”

Hermione cleared her throat to explain the situation to her friends, and then she felt her mouth fall open. Draco had strutted into the great hall an emerald green baby sling across his chest and baby Sophia all smiles in it. The sling was emblazoned with the slytherin crest. Draco was gliding across the room in his easy pace, trademark smirk in place. People were staring at him openly, a flurry of whispers erupting around him.

This can’t be happening she thought, he was actually making this look natural, and what had he done with Sophia’s sling? It was decked out in slytherin colors. He strutted over to his usual place at the slytherin table where everyone sat completely still staring at him.

Hermione turned back to her own seat staring at the stack of toast. Only that jerk could make that walk of shame look sexy. She would have walked in looking terrified. no that’s a lie, she thought to herself. She wouldn’t have come to breakfast. She would have skipped it completely let the rumors break the initial shock. But he has to walk in like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Well,” she looked at Ron and Harry who were now staring at her with the same look of confusion and shock, “Malfoy and I have to raise a child until Christmas, if we fail we both lose our badges.” She stood shooting a glare at Malfoy under lowered lashes. That’s when it happened: Sophia saw her from Malfoy’s lap and screamed for Hermione’s attention.

You have to be kidding me Hermione thought, but nobody around her seemed to hear the baby’s cries, Malfoy was trying to calm her desperately. Making small puffs of smoke and glitter shoot out of the end of his wand. He shot a look at Hermione, horror was etched across his haughty face. One of them was going to have to approach the other if Sophia was going to stop crying.

Sophia’s screams were getting louder in her ears as Hermione agonized over next decision, Do I walk over there? Do I wait for him to come over here? Oh this is not good… her mind raced with a million thoughts and possibilities for her next actions. The screams were going to spilt her head open, Sophia’s tiny hands were reaching for her, her little face contorted with her screams.

She was starting to attract attention although the people around her could not hear her screams. That was it, she lifted her head and walked to the Sytherin table where Draco was still trying to amuse the child with colored smoke and bright lights. Sophia took his wand in her tiny hands and threw it, infuriated.

Hermione bent over Draco accidentally brushing her breast against his shoulder; Hermione could hear Pansy gasp, aghast at this accentual touch. The other slytherins watching her almost lost for words.

She lifted little Sophia out of Draco’s sling and turned back to the Gryffindor table taking her seat again. She sat Sophia on the table and introduced her to the table. “This is Sophia and she is my punishment.” The baby squealed with delight as she played with Hermione’s hair smiling at the dumbstruck table.

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She just took Sophia from me…Draco was in shock she has walked up to his table without even a shade of doubt in her eyes, and took the baby from him. Where the hell did she get off? I mean house tables didn’t mingle with the slytherins. Other students feared and hated this table. Didn’t they?

“Draco, what the hell is going on?” Pansy’s voice cut through his inner monologue like a knife. “She touched you, Draco and you didn’t even flinch or say anything? Are you sick? Are you under some spell? Did the little mudblood curse you, Dracky poo?”

Pansy looked stuck somewhere between fury and concern. Her face was even more repugnant when she was deep in thought. Draco thought he could hear the wheels bashing against the negative space between her ears.

“Pan, my dearest of annoyances, did you not notice the child at all? It is our punishment, we have to…care…” he stopped and almost gagged on the word, “ for it, my sweet.” He paused again, “together.”

Pansy gasped, horrified, “You mean you have to be nice to her? You’re kidding me, Draco! That is awful! Would you like me to come over tonight and get your mind off things?” her hand slid up his leg. “Miss Pan will make it all better, Draky waky,”

Draco gripped her wrist and removed it from his crotch. “Um, Pan, did you somehow miss the part where Granger and I are living together? You can’t be there trying to be all…” he paused, “um, sexy, with a baby and Granger there. She will rat us out and you know that.” Draco sighed in relief. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.

“Granger’s got a nice rack.” Crabe muttered though a mouthful of scrambled eggs. Everyone turned to stare blankly at him, mouths hanging open.

Zabeni piped up from two seats down, “Hell yes she does, she might be a mudblood, but that girl filled out, she’s got curves in places I would love to lick.”

At that Malfoy stood, stuck between horror and hilarity, so he wasn’t the only one who had noticed her perfect body. Zabini was picky, he could have any girl he wanted, really. Malfoy froze mid thought, he could have her if he wanted. Oh no he could not she was his. How dare they look at her like that. He stomped over to Granger, grabbed her by the wrist, and yanked her up from her perfect little world, growling deep in his throat, “Follow me.”

Her face was worried as she picked up Sophia, the golden boys on her heels, Draco turned around and glared at them, “Sit down or so help me god I will blast the two of you into the astronomy tower. I need to talk to Hermione for a few minutes. Go be good little boys and sit back down, she will be back in a few minutes.”

Hermione was confused, almost tripping behind him, as he towed her away, his strides too long for her to match. What the hell are you doing, Draco? The voice in his head was panicked Are you actually jealous? Because somebody looked at this girl? What the hell has come over you? Sophia was still clutched in her arms as Hermione tried to get a grip on the situation.

Finally she seemed to have had enough and dug her heels in, “Draco, let go of me right now, and explain Yourself!”

He whirled on her, “What did you just call me, Granger?”

She stammered, “Um, I called you, I mean…”

He growled deeply his breath raged, “Say it again.”

She squeaked out the word, “Draco.”

Draco bent down and slammed his lips against hers the force of the kiss actually hurt his lips, he needed her, his Valkire. All the emotion was dumped into her at that moment, it was bliss, reality and fantasy melded into one for a fleeting second until Sophia cried out in discomfort. He looked at the child, scooped her up in one very fluid motion, slipped her into the sling, turned, and walked away.

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Hermione stood with her back against the wall, her hands still wrapped around an absent Sophia. What in the hell just happened here? Hermione blinked into the empty hallway. Her fingers raising to her swollen lips, Draco Malfoy just kissed her? But why? Was she dreaming? No if she was dreaming it would have gone much further than just a kiss, and Sophia defiantly wouldn’t have been there. So he just decided to yank her almost out of her skin, drag her down a hallway, ignore the fact she was tripping over her feet, kiss her, and then not explain himself?

That arrogant bastard! Was he messing with her? Trying to play on some emotion? Was this some kind of sick mind game? Did he know her insecurities about being a pariah? He had overheard her talk to Ginny about it? He must have, that’s the only explanation.

Two can play it this way, Draco Malfoy, you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into. She thought bitterly.