Chapter 11

Disclaimer: CocoaChristy and Southern Witch have swiped some characters created by J.K.R. for a bit of fun. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks go to Soul Bound for the beta read.

"Now that you've written to your friends, would you care to use my bedroom to rest?" Snape asked, putting his cup aside.

"I thought we agreed that I would stay in the baby's room?" Hermione said, panicked.

"Would you be able to sleep comfortably with me hovering about? With the baby... with Eilena crying at times?" He pointed towards his room. "I only mean for you to have peace. While you do so, I will see about fixing the room to your liking, making it comfortable for the both of you."

"There's so much that we have to talk about. I have so many questions." She yawned as she stretched. "Though I guess I should sleep. I am very tired."

He stood and said, "Come," beckoning with his hand.

She followed him cautiously, suddenly very self-conscience about their situation. She was about to lie in his bed, and that was something very intimate to her. Her body would be on his sheets where his had been. Did he sleep starkers? That thought made her stomach clench nervously. Yes, she'd been in Harry's bed before, but that was definitely not the same thing...he was just Harry! She'd never even been inside of Draco's room, much less sat on his bed, and she'd been in Ron's both when he'd only been a friend and a lover. However, this was something different altogether.

Here was a man that she wasn't quite certain she trusted, and yet she was in his home, albeit forced, with no one else around to buffer anything that might happen. She stopped in the doorway as he closed the thick curtains to block out the sunlight. She remembered part of their conversation from the evening before.

"Your room, I'm afraid, will be the same as mine."

"As my consort."

He'd seemed sincere when he said he'd not touch her, but what if this was some ultimate plan to... to what? To get in your knickers? a sarcastic voice whispered to her mentally. Please! He's told you what he needs you for, and it certainly isn't anything physical. Even Ron knows when to cut and run... Look at what he did to you...he chose Lavender, had a romp in the next room without using a Silencing Charm to hurt you. If a boy knew to pass you by, no man would be interested in your body... not really.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, making his way back to her.

She stepped back in alarm. "I just don't know about this. Perhaps I could sleep on the couch."

"Nonsense. I insist you use my room." He pointed to the bed. "Zigby has placed clean linens for you, and he's gathered some of Narcissa's things left behind. You may make use of them."

"Professor? What's happened with her? How could she leave Eilena? Is it true what Draco said?" she asked, unable to help herself.

He gazed at her thoughtfully. "I will tell you everything you wish to know once you've slept."

She nodded and stepped past him, pausing to make certain he'd leave before she approached the bed.

"Miss Granger, I told you that I'd not touch you, and I meant it. You are quite safe from my affections, I assure you."

"You frighten me," she admitted, not sure why.

"Good."

"I don't know what to think, but you seemed so earnest in your request for help that I couldn't possibly turn you away...especially not after seeing and being with Eilena."

"And?"

"And I ask that you never abuse the trust I am trying to place in you, sir. You have my word that I'll do what you ask of me, but you must give me yours that you'll respect me as well." She shivered slightly as the thought of him pulling away her shirt entered her mind. "I know that Voldemort..."

"Don't speak his name," he said quietly. "Not ever."

"I know that he believes that you and I are to become lovers, and you've insinuated that eventually we will have to make certain he doesn't suspect that we aren't, but it will only ever be an act."

His eyes narrowed. "Do you believe that I am making this up to seduce you, Miss Granger? Using this to get you in my bed?" He stepped closer and sneered slightly.

"N-no, that's not what I meant. I only mean that you should remember to..."

"If I wanted to seduce you," he said softly, gazing down at her cleavage for a moment, "I wouldn't use any ruse. I would simply do so, and you would walk into it willingly. Make no mistake. The situation we're in now isn't about you. You are a means to an end. It's about Eilena, the only female on my mind presently."

With that said, he turned on his heel and left her gaping behind him, closing the door with a sharp snap as he exited. "Well, that went well," she muttered, feeling a tad unsettled. She hadn't meant to insult him, but he'd certainly meant to insult her, hadn't he? And the worst part was that it'd worked. Ignoring the soft nightgown obviously laid out for her by the house-elf, she kicked off her trainers and crawled onto the bed, pulling the fresh sheet over her clothed body and letting sleep find her.

Sometime later, she heard a loud crash and a high-pitched shriek. Bolting up in the bed, she looked around in confusion. Where the hell was she?

"Snape's place," she said, realization hitting her. She scooted to the edge to find her shoes and began to toe them on, stopping when she heard another ruckus and then the wails of Eilena.

"Don't you do this to me!" a woman yelled loudly, sounding hysterical.

"You must leave here immediately," Snape replied.

"Why should I? Will you move? Let me go to her!"

Hermione crept towards the door and wondered why this woman wanted to see her, and then she realized what was going on. It was Narcissa Malfoy, and she wanted to see her baby.

"Eilena!" she whispered, still hearing the little one cry. Why wasn't Snape or Zigby doing anything to comfort her? Why didn't he let her mother see her?

"Don't make me physically remove you, Narcissa," Snape hissed dangerously.

Hermione peeked through the crack in her door and saw that he was standing in front of the heavily breathing, angry woman, not allowing her to pass.

"Your husband is likely tracking you as we speak," he added.

"Severus, please, if you ever cared for me even in the smallest..."

He forcefully grabbed her arm and pushed her back a few steps towards the Floo. "I don't know what you thought, Narcissa, but I only took you in because the Dark Lord made it so."

She slapped him then with her free hand. "You're lying! Are you afraid of what Lucius might do? How could you do thi..." Her words trailed away as her eyes met Hermione's just as she stepped out of the bedroom. "What is that doing here?"

Snape turned to see that she was there, and she could see that he visibly paled, obviously wishing she hadn't made her presence known.

"I heard Eilena," she said simply, looking towards the doorway to Eilena's room and seeing the house-elf reaching into the crib to pick her up.

"Eilena?" Narcissa questioned incredulously. "Do you mean that you've given my daughter a name? What sort of name is that?"

"My daughter," Snape said, rounding on the livid woman again. "Don't make me hurt you, Narcissa. I will do what I must to ensure my Master's laws are followed."

Sagging against him and sobbing hysterically, Narcissa said, "H-how could you let that filth around our daughter when you could have me? We could leave together. They wouldn't find us if we went to the continent."

"No," he said firmly, though Hermione took note of the way he carefully pulled her over to the couch. At that moment, he turned to Hermione and said, "Go to her. I will deal with this."

Quickly moving to take her charge from Zigby and administer the bottle to the hungry infant, she made certain to listen to the words exchanged in the next room.

"I've lost my boy. My sister has died, and now I can't even see my own baby.... What point is there to living?" Narcissa said tearfully. "I've nothing."

"You have your husband," Snape said curtly, adding, "and our Lord's followers. Surely that is enough."

"What is that girl... that scum doing here?" she asked brokenly. "You aren't seriously allowing her to care for the baby? The baby needs her mother...me!"

"Don't speak about Hermione that way," he said quietly, still towering over Narcissa. "She's here under the Dark Lord's approval...and mine."

Hearing her given name spoken in such a way, Hermione couldn't help but to feel pleased that he'd defended her and didn't mind that it sounded as if something more was between them. She supposed he had to keep up appearances. However, her heart went out to Draco's mother. She thought her son was gone, and now Snape wouldn't allow her to see her own baby.

"You have to leave, Narcissa, and it won't pay for you to try to return, for I intend to make certain you'll not be able to return."

The distraught woman didn't reply, simply sobbed, head hung low and hands cradling her face. Stepping away from her, Snape turned and went to where Hermione sat with Eilena.

"She will not leave unless I force her to, and if I do that, she'll likely Splinch herself."

"I'm surprised you care, given your attitude towards her," Hermione said sharply.

"I don't care."

"Since you've not filled me in on things, maybe you could answer a question for me, Snape. What harm is it if she just sees her child?"

"You don't understand," he said in resignation. "I have my orders."

Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she spat, "Always following orders, aren't you?"

"If she saw the child, she would only want to see her more. It's best she doesn't interact with Eilena at all."

"Severus..."

It was Narcissa. She'd silently made her way into the room and was standing just behind him and looking at the small bundle in Hermione's arms.

Snape exchanged a glance with Hermione before moving aside with a sigh, allowing Eilena's mother to approach Hermione's chair and kneel down to inspect Eilena.

"She hasn't any hair," she whispered with a smile. "Oh, she reminds me of Draco... Look at her ears, the same as his, and her little nose!" Her eyes rose to meet Hermione's. "I do so love her."

"Hold her," Hermione offered, heart breaking for the woman before her.

"Hermione," Snape warned.

"Only a moment," she replied to him. "Please..."

"No."

Eagerly Narcissa reached out to touch the baby's round head and brought her lips to the baby's soft spot. Tears formed in Hermione's eyes as she watched the wonder play over Narcissa's face, and she then noticed that it seemed like Eilena had opened her eyes and was gazing at her mother intently.

Wanting to ease the woman's pain, or at least the cause for some of it, Hermione softly said, "Draco is alive and well."

Sharply, the woman looked up. "Have you seen him?"

"Yes."

"That will be all, Hermione," Snape said, stalking forward to pull Narcissa up. "It's time for her to leave now."

"Severus, is this true? Is Draco all right?" Her voice was laced with hope.

"It is what Hermione says."

"Where? I must see him. I have to...ahhhh!" She suddenly clutched at her throat and pulled at the locket. "He's calling me, has noticed I've gone."

"Leave and never return," Snape urged. "I'm serious, Narcissa."

"I..." She nodded. "Take care of them, Severus. Draco and our daughter, the only good things to come from me it seems." She looked at the baby once more before fleeing the room and Disapparating with a loud crack.

Seeing the angry look on his face, Hermione swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. She just seemed so pitiful."

"Do you have any idea as to what you've done, you bloody swot? Lucius will retrieve that information from her and possibly use it. You may have ruined things for your friends."

"I think it's time you told me everything, Snape, else this might not work."

"Zigby has fixed dinner, he has. Are you wanting to be eating now?" squeaked the house-elf, who'd popped back into the room.

"We will go shortly. That will be all," Snape commanded.

Once the elf was gone, Hermione said, "Well?"

"I will teach you Occlumency," he said, surprising her. "Soon. I can't be certain what Lucius will do once he has the information that you know where Draco might be. We'll have to shield your mind."

"What did she mean that her sister died?"

"Bellatrix, yes," he said, not supplying anything else.

"I didn't realize." She looked down at the baby and adjusted her. "It almost serves her right after what she tried to do to Eilena... and to her sister. How horrible."

"We finally agree on something." He reached down and took the baby from her, and she stood, indicating that he could take the seat.

"So what's next?"

"Well, I've made a decision about expanding the room so that you can be comfortable here. I thought you might like to hear about it before I actually did it."

"All right." Her stomach growled loudly, causing her to flush in embarrassment. "I can practically smell the roast chicken from here now. Are you hungry?"

"Go on," he said. "I'll join you after I put her down."

"Bring her with us," she said. "She can lie in that little basinet while we eat. If she gets fussy, which I seriously doubt it...not once she's eaten and had her nappy changed anyway...one of us can tend to her."

"Very well," he said, rising awkwardly. "Go on. I'll change her first and bring her in."

"Here. I'll help." Hermione opened the top drawer of the changing table and took out the needed items, watching as Snape tended to his daughter.

After a few moments, he said, "This might sound mental, but it's as though she's already changing, filling out even. She's not as thin as she was at first, and her coloring is changing."

"To hear my mum tell it, she had to take pictures constantly because I changed all the time. When I was younger, I had very light hair, almost blonde. It darkened as I got older."

"I've always looked the same," he said. "I favor my father mostly."

Not knowing what to say to that, she simply nodded, feeling pangs of hunger lapping at her insides. The graceful way his hands cleaned and powdered Eilena reminded her of the days in his class when he'd handle his ingredients. It was with the exact same care and precision that he was using now.

He cleared his throat and drew her eyes up to his. "Once you've started learning Occlumency, we'll gather memories, making new and false ones if we have to, so that you can learn to project them at will... in case the Dark Lord does indeed look."

"All right," she said, feeling slightly nervous. "New memories? Such as this one with Eilena or with us having dinner? Where it looks as though we're getting on well, that I'm adjusting?"

"Yes."

"False ones. Us being close?"

He nodded. "Come. Let's eat. We can talk after."

"I'll bring the basinet in."

"Allow me," he said, flicking his wand and lifting it magically.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ginny sat in the Great Hall, moving her breakfast around on her plate. She had no appetite, not since she'd received a letter from Ron the night before.

He'd told her that he and Harry had had a long talk, and Harry had confessed that he wasn't truly in love with her. Then he'd warned her off Draco Malfoy. Ginny snorted, imagining Ron's expression while he'd scribbled away. Draco.

She'd had mixed feelings where he was concerned for a while until she spent some time alone at the lake and worked them out. She came to the realization that it wasn't exactly Draco that she'd wanted; it was the attention he had been giving her.

With Harry, she'd been feeling neglected and left out. Draco actually took the time to speak with her, notice her. After all, he was in the same spot as the other three, and yet, he took time out to make her feel like a person and not simply a problem he needed to figure out what to do with.

And the way he'd looked at her! She shivered just thinking about those gray eyes penetrating her brown ones, as if he could see right into her soul. If she hadn't loved Harry with all her heart, body, and soul, she wouldn't have minded giving Draco a try, but she knew that it wouldn't have been fair to him. Until Harry was out of her system completely, it wouldn't be fair for her to give anyone a try.

She started to rise, deciding to use the hour she had before her first class to study in the library, when a familiar white owl caught her attention. "Hedwig! What brings you here?"

Harry's owl gracefully landed in front of Ginny on the table and cooed at her. Ginny gently stroked Hedwig's head, slightly afraid of the contents of the letter tied to her foot. She'd recognized Harry's handwriting immediately.

The owl stuck her foot out as if to say, "Take it!" and Ginny slowly untied the letter. Giving the snowy owl a bit of water and toast, she took the letter and decided to go to the tower rather than the library. She instinctively knew she would need privacy for this.

When she started past Colin Creevey, he grabbed her arm. "All right, Gin?"

Sighing internally, she eased her arm out of his grip. He'd been after her to go out with him all year. "Yes, Colin, I'm just fine as I've told you every day this week." His constant picture taking of her lately was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"He doesn't want you, you know. You're wasting your time."

Slinging the hair that had fallen over her shoulder behind her back, Ginny told him, "It's mine to waste, isn't it? Colin," she said, more softly, "even if I wasn't in love with Harry, I couldn't be with you that way. I don't think of you like that."

"I know it!" he all but shouted, embarrassed that he was being let down, no matter how easy. "I just hate to see you hurting, that's all."

She smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate your friendship, honestly. I just don't want to give you any false hope that there will ever be anything more between us. I don't mean to hurt you, or to make you feel brushed aside, because I do care for you."

"I know it. Harry's a fool," Colin declared. "He'll come to his senses. Don't fret."

Simply smiling, Ginny merely patted his hand and walked to the tower. Hardly anybody went there anymore since the death of Professor Dumbledore. She found that she really enjoyed the solitude.

Sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, Ginny opened Harry's letter, trying to prepare herself for the rejection to come. She read:

My Dearest Ginny,

I bet you are surprised to be receiving a letter from me, eh? Trust me, I am surprised myself to be writing this at such a time, but I couldn't go on another day without telling you how I truly feel.

Bracing herself, she thought, Okay...here it comes. He's going to tell me there's no chance for us. Blinking back the tears, she continued to read:

I've done some soul searching lately, and by doing so, I've come to realize what a berk I've been. Before I go any further, I want to apologize to you for that. Please know that I never meant to hurt you.

Harry

Ginny sat staring at the letter, gobsmacked. She'd been trying to prepare herself for the inevitable letter that would come, him telling her to get on with her life once and for all.

She stood, wiping the tears from her cheeks, hugged the letter to her chest, and let out a yell of joy. Since she was alone, she danced a small jig around the room. He loves me! was all she could think.

Her joy was abruptly cut short as Draco's words sounded in her head. He only uses you, you know. When he's lonely or needs something, there you are. But, Ginevra, when is he ever there for you? He strings you along because you're there and it's convenient for him. You deserve so much more. Don't be his doormat, where he is welcome anytime, no matter what.

"Am I just a convenience? A doormat? Does he truly want to work things out and be with me, or will he decide next week that he can't be bothered with me because he has too much to do?"

She began pacing again, out of worry this time rather than joy. She wanted Harry with every fiber of her being. She couldn't remember a time when she didn't want him. Mostly, she remembered him continuously hurting her. But his letter seemed so sincere... He'd never written something so long and meaningful before.

What am I going to do? Should I follow my heart and welcome him back into my life, or should I take some time and see if he's serious and not just feeling lonely at the moment?

She stopped pacing, placing a hand over her mouth, remembering the letter Ron had sent her the night before, telling her Harry admitted he wasn't in love with her. What's going on here? Is Ron just saying that to keep me from Harry? But why?

Ginny grabbed her book bag and headed back down, not wanting to be late for Potions. She would have to think long and hard before replying to Harry. There was only so much a heart could take, and her heart had just about taken all that it could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron and Draco sat in the library, going over the last few books. They'd both found a lot of information and decided to start practicing what they'd learned so that they could destroy any living Horcruxes when they found them.

Harry was pacing the floor and muttering to himself every so often.

"Harry!" Ron said, exasperated. "You're driving me nuts, mate. What bug's crawled up your arse?"

Draco snickered. "It's true. Why so irritable? You look like you're waiting for something...or someone."

Ron jumped up so suddenly that a few books fell from the table. "Is it Hermione? Have you heard from her? Is she coming back?"

Draco could have bitten his tongue. He and Ron had been getting along lately, and to his own surprise, Draco was beginning to have some understanding of Ron's actions.

Harry stopped pacing and turned to his best friend. "No, Ron. I'm sorry. If I had heard anything, you would be the first I'd tell. I promise."

"Well then, what is it?" Ron asked as he sat back down, embarrassed. He hated making a fool of himself, regardless of what others thought.

"It's noting, really. Just waiting on... well... I wrote to Ginny," Harry admitted. He wasn't going to say anything, but he saw that he had no choice.

Narrowing his eyes, Ron asked, "So? You've written to her before and not been so churned up about it."

"Harry, what did you do?" Draco wondered out loud. "You've asked her back, haven't you? That's why you're so nervous."

Ron gritted his teeth, chanting in his mind, Think before you speak! Think before you speak! Slowly turning his head towards Harry, going for nonchalance but looking threatening, he asked before Harry could comment, "Why would you do that? Why must you insist on hurting my sister, Harry?"

"I don't! It's not like that!" He threw his hands up in a show of aggravation. "I mean, I have lately, and you agreed I should push her away, but I've realized a few things. I am in love with her, Ron. For real."

"So you say," Draco spat, as if he had a say in the matter. "She's not someone for you to go to on your whims! Ginevra is a person with feelings, in case you've forgotten!"

Harry spun towards Draco, wanting to look away from the heat in Ron's eyes. "What's it to you? And stop calling her Ginevra!"

Ron stood once more and walked over to where Harry was. "Harry, you're my best mate, you know that. But if you hurt my sister again, I'm going to have to hurt you. And then the rest of my brothers will," he said, only half joking.

Harry smiled shakily, thinking of Ron's brothers. Wanting to change the subject, he asked, "How's Penelope?"

"Fine as far as I can tell. She's due in about a month I think, and Mum's happy that she and Percy have been coming around more. I still say he's a git though," Ron said as he shook his head. "It's odd that she even got pregnant because I heard Perce say that he wanted to be at the Ministry five years before they started a family."

Draco sat up straighter as alarm bells started going off in his head. The timing is right... Mother will be due around then, too, I think. "They didn't plan this baby, Ron?"

"No, and Perce usually follows his plans through. He sets goals for himself and doesn't rest until they're reached." Ron rolled his eyes. "Goes on and on about something, can't get him to shut up once he starts."

"Well, mistakes happen," Draco said, but he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah, true, but not usually with him. He's anal, eh, Harry?"

"Yes, he is," Harry agreed, wondering what was bothering Draco but decided to let it pass. He didn't want any more problems today if he could help it.

Just then, the Daily Prophet owl came with the paper delivery. Draco stood to take it and place the money in the pouch.

Walking back to his seat at the table so that he could read it, Draco stopped suddenly and let out a sound of slight distress.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, alarmed by Draco's behavior.

"They've found my aunt Bellatrix's body."

Both Harry and Ron wisely stayed quiet, neither considering that a bad thing. Then Draco said quietly, "I hope nothing has happened to my mother..."

Green eyes locked on blue then, both filled with dread and concern. They both thought of Hermione and wished she was there. She'd likely know how to comfort Draco while they had no idea what to say.

Author's Notes: More up soon!