I'm pleased to present the first chapter of my newest project. Please let me know what you think. I love to hear from my readers.

The sound of coffee being poured into cups broke the morning silence at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Harry Potter carefully prepared a cup for himself and one for each of his best friends. He glanced up briefly as Ron Weasley shuffled into the kitchen and grabbed the cup that Harry indicated with a tiny jerk of his head.

Ron took a cautious sip of his coffee and sighed gratefully before peering over the rim of his cup at Harry. "Your hair looks ridiculous," Ron muttered.

Harry snorted with amusement. His black hair was almost always rather untidy, but in the mornings it would stick up in all different directions. But to be fair, Ron's vibrant red hair was no better in the mornings. Harry shot a pointed look at Ron's messy hair, grinning when Ron just shrugged carelessly. His smile faded just slightly when he saw Hermione Granger enter the kitchen.

Hermione was already dressed for work. She had paired a lovely royal blue blouse with a knee-length black skirt and comfortable flats. She wore her white healer robes over her clothes but had left them open for the moment. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, her long chestnut curls trailing to the middle of her back. As she accepted her cup of coffee, Harry noted that she was wearing a bit more make-up than was usual. It wasn't extravagant, and it didn't appear that Ron had noticed at all. But, Harry could see how tired she looked.

Harry watched Hermione sip her coffee silently, knowing that she was aware of his gaze. It wasn't until Ron left the room to take a shower that Hermione met Harry's eyes.

"Did you sleep at all?" Harry asked, concern lacing his tone.

Hermione's eyes dropped to her nearly empty cup. Harry was just far too observant. His concern was touching, but she hated to have him worry about her. "Obviously not well," she admitted.

Harry stepped around the counter and stood in front of Hermione with a frown. He gently tugged the cup from her hands and set it on the counter before drawing her into his arms. "You need to slow down," he murmured, hugging her. "Why don't you request time off? You need a break."

Hermione pulled away gently, smiling fondly at Harry. "Now isn't a good time," she responded. "I have a meeting with the Head of St Mungos this morning, and I think he's giving me a new project."

"You don't need a new project," Harry retorted with a scowl, his green eyes narrowed at her.

"I'm fine," Hermione said firmly. "I love my work and a bit of fatigue isn't going to hinder that." She sighed at Harry's pained expression. She gave his hand a loving squeeze before moving away from him. "Get moving or you'll be late for work," she called over her shoulder before marching over to the fireplace and disappearing a swirl of green flames.

Several minutes later, Ron returned to the kitchen to find Harry dressed and ready to go. Harry's back rested against the counter and his arms were folded over his chest as he stared pensively at the empty cups on the counter-top. Ron smoothed down the front of his auror robes and eyed Harry anxiously. "Is Hermione alright?" he asked hesitantly.

Harry frowned and met Ron's eyes. "She's exhausted," Harry said tightly. "She's too stubborn to slow down, but she's worn out. Today she was wearing extra make-up to hide the fact that she looks so tired."

Ron's shoulder sagged slightly, but he straightened quickly and gave Harry's shoulder a comforting pat. "You know how she is," Ron said lightly. "We'll just keep an eye on her like we always do."

Harry forced himself to nod, but he was unable to shake the worry that tugged at his thoughts. He knew that Ron was just as concerned, but that the red-head would do what he could to encourage optimism. The two men exchanged smiles that weren't quite convincing, and apparated to the ministry to begin their work day.

Hermione's morning had rushed by in a blur of patients and diagnostic charms. Just before lunch, she found herself seated in a plush chair in front of the ornate mahogany desk of Crispin Abbott, Head of St. Mungos. He was an older wizard, but it didn't stop him from being rather intimidating. His white beard was neatly trimmed. He mid-section had become a bit rounder as he aged, but his physique was still impressively athletic. His posture was perfectly straight and his robes were pristine. Everything about the man, demanded respect and perfection. But, his eyes settled on Hermione fondly and she felt herself relax into her chair a bit more.

Healer Abbott was known for being stern and unyielding. His expectations for the healers were alarmingly high at times. But, he seemed to have a soft spot for Hermione Granger and found himself encouraging and guiding her as her skills as a healer flourished.

"You look tired," Abbott noted, peering at Hermione with a speculative frown.

"I slept poorly," Hermione replied dismissively. "It happens. I'll be perfectly fine." She was pleased when he nodded in acceptance and looked down at some papers on his desk.

Abbott considered the file on his desk for a moment, uncertain of how Healer Granger would respond to what he planned to ask of her. "I had hoped that you would assist me with something," he said carefully. He glanced up to see her shift forward slightly in anticipation. "Your work with muggle medicine has been rather impressive and I wish to move toward expanding it into a department of it's own. That will take some time, but the first step is adding to the team." He paused and looked up at Hermione. "I have recently hired a wizard that's enormously talented and his interests align remarkably with yours. I had hoped that you'd consider working with him."

"Of course," Hermione responded instantly.

Abbott opened his mouth to suggest that she may want to know who the new healer was first, but he was interrupted by his office door opening suddenly. A witch stepped into the office with an apologetic look at Hermione. "So sorry to intrude Healer Abbott," the woman said hastily.

"Yes, what is it?" Abbott said, his tone bored.

"A Healer Malfoy is here to see you," the witch explained, her eyes darting to Hermione when she gasped.

Abbott's eyes darted to Hermione momentarily before he waved the other woman away. "Send him in," he said with a weary sigh. He winced at the flash of panic he saw in Hermione's eyes but before he could say anything else, Draco Malfoy was ushered into the office.

Hermione sat very still, not turning to look as Malfoy crossed the office to shake hands with Healer Abbott. She waited anxiously as Healer Abbott offered a pleasant greeting.

"I believe you're familiar with this young woman," Abbott said, indicating Hermione.

Malfoy turned and his eyes widened comically with shock. "Granger," he blurted out before he could stop himself. His jaw clenched momentarily as he seemed to collect himself. "I hadn't expected to see you," he said, sounding much more calm.

"Likewise," Hermione responded, shooting Healer Abbott a look of annoyance.

Malfoy sighed heavily. "You are the one I am expected to work with, aren't you?" he asked warily.

"So it would seem," she replied stiffly.

"Now, I expect professionalism from both of you," Abbott said sternly, his gaze darting between them. "If you cannot set aside your past grievances, say so at once."

Malfoy looked at Hermione uncertainly for a moment. Without shifting his gaze from her, he said "I have no problem with Healer Granger. But, she has reason to object to working with me."

Hermione considered Malfoy for a moment. He was wearing his hair rather short these days, and his features had filled out a bit to make him look less pointy and harsh. His posture was perfectly straight but he was very stiff, as if braced for an attack. His gray eyes were wary as he returned her thoughtful stare. He had the weary appearance of someone who felt utterly defeated. His shoulders slumped a bit under her gaze, and she was startled by the rush of sympathy she felt toward him.

"I'm willing to try if you are," Hermione said quietly.

"Excellent," Abbott said, before Draco could comment. "I expect great things from you both. Why don't you get something to eat and then you can discuss some of the current research?"

"Of course Sir," Hermione said, getting up from her chair. She waited while Malfoy shook Healer Abbott's hand once more. When he turned to face her, he gestured for her to precede him through the doorway. She led the way past the reception area and down a long hallway to her office.

Malfoy looked around the office with a smirk. It was lined with book shelves. The large desk held stacks of folders, quills and little pots of colored ink. On one side of the desk was a large comfy chair, and on the other side were two smaller chairs. He dropped into one of the smaller chairs, looking at Hermione expectantly.

For a long moment, they simply looked each other over pensively. But as Hermione opened her mouth to speak, Harry swept into the room carrying a large paper bag. "I brought lunch," he said, sounding pleased with himself. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, before he caught sight of Draco and nearly dropped the bag. "What's Malfoy doing here?"

"That's what my meeting was about," Hermione responded, sitting down with a sigh. She couldn't decide if Harry's timing was perfect or horrendous. "Healer Malfoy will be working with me on research."

"Do you feel comfortable with the arrangement?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione and ignoring Draco's indignant huff of breath. Harry's gaze was stern but anxious.

Hermione smiled slightly, her eyes darting to Draco for just a moment before she turned back to Harry. "I'm sure it will be fine," she said gently.

Harry peered at her for a moment and nodded in satisfaction before looking back at Malfoy. "Then congratulations Malfoy," Harry said cheerfully. "You must be good if they've partnered you with Hermione." He set the bag down on the desk and began pulling out containers of food. "Help yourself," he told Malfoy. "I brought more than enough."

Draco's eyes darted suspiciously between Harry and the food. He wasn't particularly trusting, and his relationship with Harry had always been strained at best. While he knew that the food would be safe for consumption, Draco wasn't keen on the idea of trying to eat while two former Gryffindors glared at him. "I'll just grab something at the cafe down the street," he said stiffly, rising from his chair.

"Just sit down!" Harry blurted out in exasperation. "We may as well get past this now." He sighed when Draco remained, but didn't sit back down. "The war is over. We're not students anymore. We all went through terrible things. Dwelling on a petty rivalry would be stupid. If we can't be friends, we can at least be civil." He smiled when Draco sat back down with a long suffering sigh. "I come and see Hermione often, so you'll be seeing me a lot," Harry added.

Draco snorted. "Don't you have a job Potter?" he asked. He nodded in thanks when Hermione handed him a plate of the Italian food that Harry had brought. The scent of fresh garlic bread, pasta and chicken made his mouth water.

"Of course," Harry replied. "I'm the Head of the Auror Department. But, if I get a break for lunch, I like to come and see this little know-it-all," he added, winking at Hermione. She rolled her eyes in response but smiled, handing him a plate of food. He eagerly bit into the garlic bread, moaning blissfully.

Draco watched Harry eat the bread for a moment before looking at Hermione. "I think these two need a moment alone," Draco said with a smirk, gesturing to Harry and the remaining portion of his garlic bread. Harry rolled his eyes but didn't argue.

"You should see Ron eat," Hermione commented with a giggle. "It's almost obscene."

"Where is Weasley anyway?" Draco asked, sampling the pasta.

"On a case," Harry replied, cutting into his chicken. "He'll be sorry that he missed having lunch with you," he added with grin.

"I'll bet," Draco muttered, shaking his head.

They ate in silence for a few moments, each wondering how long they'd manage to keep the peace. Draco was relieved to find that the other two had apparently accepted his presence so calmly. Neither seemed keen to bring up the mistakes in Draco's past. He supposed that he would need to actually apologize, but for the moment he was simply felt grateful for the chance to relax a little bit.

"So where have you been?" Harry asked suddenly, his eyes fixed on Draco. "You've managed to stay out of the papers."

Draco paused, his eyes focused on his plate. He hesitated, wondering how much he should tell his old rivals. Coming to a decision, he looked between Harry and Hermione with a sigh. "I went to France for a few years," he said finally. "I did my healer training there. I got married two years ago." He paused, but didn't look at his companions. "She died nine months ago. An angry ex-lover poisoned her morning coffee at work."

Hermione gasped and her filled with tears while Harry looked horrified. "I'm so sorry Malfoy," Harry said sincerely. "I shouldn't have asked."

Draco sighed and gave a half-hearted shrug. "Your question was innocent enough," he muttered. "I did everything I could to keep out of the papers so few people in England knew about our marriage. I returned a few months ago so my mother could help with my son."

Harry had just taken a sip of his water and immediately choked in his surprise, spraying Draco. "What the hell Potter?" Draco cried, leaning away from Harry in disgust. Hermione pointed her wand at Draco, instantly drying the water. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she settled more comfortably in her chair again.

"Sorry," Harry said, coughing to clear his throat. "You have a baby?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," Draco said quietly, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. He reached into a pocket in the front of his white robes and then held out a picture to Harry. "That's Scorpius," Draco said, pleased to see Harry's face light up with a smile.

"He looks just like you," Harry commented, handing the photo to Hermione.

Hermione gasped softly as she looked at the moving picture of a baby with slightly fuzzy blond hair. The infant flashed a happy smile and flapped his little arms. "He's gorgeous," Hermione said. "How old is he?"

"He's nearly eleven months old now," Draco replied. "My mother keeps him while I work. He's a good baby." He accepted the photo back from Hermione, smiling fondly at the image of his son.

Harry shook his head, having difficulty reconciling himself to the idea that Draco Malfoy was a father. It was hard to imagine, but it wasn't far fetched. A lot of their old school mates were married and having children. "Will we get to meet your son?" Harry asked.

Draco frowned, considering the idea. He certainly hadn't expected such a suggestion from Potter. "I suppose," Draco said slowly.

"Great," Harry said lightly, relieved that he hadn't simply gotten a scathing remark in response. He had been more than happy to play nice to aid in pleasant working conditions for Hermione, but awareness of Malfoy's status as a single father and the tragic death of his wife prompted more of an effort from Harry. The responsibility of raising a baby alone surely felt overwhelming. "We've got a party planned for Hermione's birthday next week. You should come and bring your son," he added, pleased with himself for remembering the party at such a moment and for offering his invitation in such a welcoming manner.

Draco looked a bit alarmed by the suggestion and glanced at Hermione. She offered him an encouraging smile. "We'd be glad to have you," she said gently. "We can speak to the others and make sure everyone will be on their best behavior. It won't be a large group," she added.

Draco looked between Harry and Hermione thoughtfully. He was impressed and rather pleased with their desire to move beyond their past. He'd wondered for a few years how different things would have been if he'd been friendly toward the Gryffindors. Now that they were no longer concerned with school rivalry and the war was over, Potter and Granger seemed far less irritating. Deciding that it would be worth a try, he set his plate on Hermione's desk, careful to prevent the fork from falling and making a mess. "Fine," he said finally, his tone bored. "I suppose there's no harm in making an appearance. Surely none of your... associates would starting hexing me if my son is present."

"I'll handle the others," Harry said firmly. Draco shrugged in response, taking a dignified sip of his water. They spent several minutes eating and chatting until Harry had to return to the Ministry. He hugged Hermione before offering his hand to Draco. Draco shook his hand hesitantly, and then watched as Harry cleaned up their lunch with a wave of his wand and left the room with a cheerful wave.

Draco sat for a moment, frowning in thought. "That was strange," he muttered. "He seems different."

"Indeed," Hermione agreed, resting her forearms on the surface of her desk. "Harry is very protective. Knowing him, this was a way for him to make sure that my working environment wouldn't become unpleasant. To be honest, he's wanted to approach you for quite some time. He felt guilty for the animosity between you, especially knowing about some of the things you were going through."

Draco nodded stiffly, not wanting to think about the war and his role in it. He had a permanent reminder burned into the skin of his left forearm. He met Hermione's eyes with a weary sigh. "And you?"

Hermione looked down at her hands for a moment, considering what she should say. "You were horrible to me in school," she said quietly. "You went out of your way to make sure that I knew that you saw me as inferior." She paused, pushing away the sudden flash of anger that flared within her chest. "We were students. Children. And you were raised with certain ideas about blood status. It doesn't excuse the way you treated me," she added sternly, scowling at him.

Draco looked back at her silently. He knew she was right, though he wasn't pleased with the idea of admitting it. To his surprise, her expression softened and she sighed.

"I'm willing to forgive you," Hermione said quietly. "If you are willing to work with me and look beyond my blood status..."

"I should have never said those things," Draco said quickly, cutting her off. "It would be idiotic of me to think that you're inferior to anyone, including myself. I truly did not know any better." He hesitated before continuing. "And for just being an arse in general... Well, I apologize."

For a moment, they just stared at one another. Hermione chewed her lower lip for a moment before reaching down to tug open a desk drawer and taking out a blue folder. She passed the folder to Draco without a word, her gaze fixed on his face.

Draco opened the folder and read over the first sheet of parchment, his eyebrows rising on his forehead. He took a few moments to glance through the rest of Hermione's notes, his expression unreadable. Finally, he closed the folder and met her eyes. "So you're going through each body system and incorporating muggle medical knowledge with medi-wizardry?" he asked her.

"Exactly," Hermione responded.

Draco peered at her thoughtfully. "St. Mungos is widely known as one of the best wizarding hospitals," he said carefully. "The Healers are top notch."

"That doesn't mean we can't be better," Hermione retorted. "There's no reason to limit ourselves." She rose from her comfy chair and began to pace restlessly. "Our healers don't do chest compressions. Why not? Even better than that would be to create a spell that'll mimic a muggle defibrillator. We can save even more lives. We can..."

"Calm down Granger," Draco drawled, interrupted her rant. "You don't have to convince me. I've looked into muggle healing myself and I agree with you. That's why Healer Abbott was so keen to have me work with you."

Hermione smiled and stepped around the desk to sift through the folder until she found her notes on the heart and vascular systems. She sat down in her chair again and leaned forward eagerly. "What do you know about deep vein thrombosis?"

Harry looked around the pub, pleased with it's appearance for the evening. Seamus was the owner and had gladly closed his doors to the public for Hermione's birthday, and the place had been transformed into a sophisticated nightclub for the occasion. Each small table was covered with a pristine white table cloth and adorned with dark red rose petals and a lit candle. Fairy lights were draped across the ceiling in a glowing canopy. Seamus had his staff dressed in dress robes, serving drinks and preparing food. A small stage, situated to the right of the bar, held some enchanted musical instruments that played beautiful music.

"I think it's brilliant," Harry said with a smile as Seamus came to stand next to him.

"Glad it meets your approval," Seamus said thumping Harry on the back cheerfully. "Anything for Hermione," he added, stepping toward the bar.

Ron walked over to Harry and eyed the impressive array of foods set out. "Nice," Ron said, nodding appreciatively. "I don't know about these though," he added, tugging at his tie uncomfortably.

Harry chuckled, looking down at his own black suit. "It's just for the party," he said with a shrug. "I wanted Hermione to feel like a Queen, so we'll just have to suffer a bit longer."

"Right," Ron muttered. His expression brightened when he heard snorts of laughter coming from the bar. George, Neville and Dean were seated on barstools, holding tumblers of firewhiskey. Seamus was now behind the bar, chatting animatedly while surreptitiously observing his staff. Giving Harry another friendly thump on the back, Ron moved toward the bar to join them.

"Don't let George blow anything up," Harry called out to Ron, shaking his head at Ron's dismissive wave.

Harry walked toward the entrance in time to see the women being ushered in by a wizard that Seamus had assigned to ensuring that only party guests were allowed inside. Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Parvati and Padma were all dressed in beautiful evening gowns. They'd all gathered upstairs at Grimmauld Place before the party and had helped one another get ready. The result was stunning. Most impressive was Hermione's appearance. The other ladies had taken extra time to pamper her and get her ready. Her hair was pinned away from her face and cascaded down her back in flawless chestnut curls. Her make-up had been carefully applied, enhancing her features. Her dress was a rich burgandy color with a bodice the hugged her petite frame. The long skirt was made up of several layers of chiffon that seemed to float around her as she moved.

"You ladies look stunning," Harry said, smiling fondly at the women. He pressed a kiss to Ginny's lips, firmly resisting the urge to run his hands over the silky sage green fabric clinging to her curves. She seemed to sense his thoughts because she winked at him with a saucy smile.

"It's not often that we get to dress like this," Parvati commented spinning around once to make her pale pink skirts flare out around her legs.

At that moment, Draco Malfoy stepped through the entrance and glanced around at his surroundings. He was impeccably dressed, as usual, in an expensive black suit. He was holding a bundle of blankets that wriggled in his grasp. He chuckled and pulled the blanket away to reveal pale blonde hair. "There you are," Draco said softly, smiling at his infant son.

"You made it," Harry said cheerfully.

"Obviously," Draco replied with a smirk. His eyes shifted to Hermione. "Happy Birthday Granger. I would have put Scorpius in a suit as well but... that's never gone well," he admitted.

Hermione giggled and walked over to get a better look at Scorpius. "That's alright," she said, brushing her finger over the baby's round cheek. Scorpius looked at Hermione and smiled widely. His gray eyes were just like his fathers. "You're adorable," Hermione said, grinning when Scorpius leaned toward her, reaching with his little arms.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a grin as Draco passed his son to Hermione. The baby stared at Hermione solemnly for a moment before flashing another wide toothless smile at her. "What a little angel," Hermione murmured as Scorpius patted her face with his chubby hand.

Draco reached out to shift his son's hand away from Hermione's face. "Be gentle Scorpius," he said softly, smiling when the baby babbled happily at him.

Unable to resist, Ginny hurried forward and held her hands out hopefully. Hermione rolled her eyes but passed Scorpius to the red head. "Oh you're just precious!" Ginny gushed. She nuzzled the baby's cheek pressing noisy kisses to his soft skin. His laughter made her squeal with delight. "He's gorgeous," she said sincerely. "Come look Harry."

"No, you can't have one right now," Harry said with a lazy smile as he strolled forward and offered Draco his hand. "Glad you could make it Malfoy."

"Thank you," Draco said, shaking Harry's hand hesitantly. He froze when he looked up to see the other men swivel around on the barstools to look at him. He released Harry's hand and clasped his hands behind his back, resisting the urge to take a step back. It was tempting to snatch his son away from Ginny, knowing that these men wouldn't hex him while he held a baby.

"So, you decided to come?" Ron asked stiffly, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he clenched his teeth.

Harry intervened before Draco could make a snide comment. "We're happy to have him," Harry said firmly, glaring pointedly at Ron. "He works with Hermione, and they get on well. You can be civil for her sake," he added pointedly.

Ron was silent for a moment, eyeing Draco suspiciously. He winced when Neville elbowed him in the ribs with a glare. Ron scowled at Neville but then said "Fine. We'll play nice."

"Thank Merlin," George said, rolling his eyes. "Back to the party then? Here you are Malfoy," he said, approaching Draco and handing him a tumbler of firewhiskey.

Draco looked down at the firewhiskey and then at Harry. Harry grinned and shook his head. "Don't worry, nobody is getting pissed tonight," Harry assured Draco. "I'm sticking with butterbeer so I can remind everyone of their limit. Can't have people getting drunk around a baby," he added, chuckling when Scorpius let out a loud squeal.

Draco frowned slightly. "I can take him back to my mother," he said. "No sense in spoiling Granger's party. I just brought him since you two said you wanted to meet him," he added, looking between Harry and Hermione uncomfortably.

"No," Ginny said hastily, sidestepping away from Draco with a frown. "I'm not done playing with him, so you can't have him yet." She walked away carrying Scorpius, tickling him gently and giggling at his delighted shrieks of laughter.

Harry snorted and shook his head. "Well, there's your answer," he told Draco. "It's no problem at all. This was going to be a tame party anyway. We'll warn you before we have you come to an 'adults only' party."

More guests arrived over the next few minutes and, true to his word, Harry had forewarned his friends that Draco Malfoy would be present. Most of them even made an effort to greet him politely. Scorpius was quite popular among the party guests. He was cuddled, kissed and tickled by nearly everyone.

After finishing his firewhiskey, Draco felt more prepared to be social. He eyed the group thoughtfully before approaching Hermione and Ginny. He relaxed a bit when they smiled at him. He'd been observing everyone and noticed that Harry, Ron and Ginny were strangely attentive to Hermione. Rather than enjoying the attention, Hermione waved them off impatiently despite their anxious expressions. Draco had thought that Harry simply had a tendency to hover and worry excessively about his friends. But, seeing similar behavior from the two red-heads made him reconsider his initial assumption. However, their behavior didn't effect him and he wasn't about to start asking questions like a nosy Gryffindor. He had enough problems of his own.

"You look good," he told Hermione, his lips quirking into a slight smirk.

"Thank you," Hermione replied, feeling her cheeks warm. "The girls put a lot of work into my appearance for the party."

"I see you nearly everyday Granger," Draco reminded her. "They can't have done much."

Ginny grinned widely and nudged Hermione playfully. "He's saying that you're pretty," Ginny whispered rather loudly.

"I'd figured that out, thanks," Hermione muttered, wishing she could stop blushing.

Draco chuckled and then looked at Ginny. "You're looking quite lovely as well," he said politely.

"I know," Ginny replied with grin. She eyed Draco and nodded appreciatively. "You look positively edible," she commented.

Hermione had chosen that moment to take a sip from her champagne glass and very nearly spat it back out. She swallowed hastily, then turned to cough and clear her throat. Ginny and Draco were sputtering with laughter. "Ginevra Weasley, what a thing to say," Hermione scolded.

Harry approached them with a mildly puzzled smile. "Is Ginny misbehaving again?" he asked, winking at the red head.

"She's a shameless hussy," Hermione declared, giggling at Ginny's indignant huff.

"Aren't you a lucky bastard?" Draco said, smirking at Harry.

"I suppose the depends on how you look at it," Harry responded, rolling his eyes. Ginny pinched his bum in response.

George approached carrying Scorpius who was sucking his thumb on one hand and clutching at George's red hair with the other. George passed the baby to Harry with a smile before he grinned at Hermione. "Time for a dance Hermione," he said, taking her glass of champagne from her and handing it to Ginny. He lead Hermione toward the open space in front of the stage before pulling her close for a slow dance.

The others took turns playing with Scorpius so they could pair up and dance. Ginny grabbed Draco for a dance, making Harry laugh at Draco's surprised expression. As the night got later, Draco had eventually danced with all of the women except for Hermione. George had attempted to request Draco's hand for a dance as well, but the red-head only received Draco's horrified expression in response. George had laughed before scooping Scorpius up and twirling him around while the infant laughed.

When Dean finally relinquished his hold on Hermione, Draco approached them. Dean offered Draco a friendly nod and Hermione turned and smiled. Draco held out his hand wordlessly, keeping a smirk on his face despite the sudden anxious feeling in his stomach.

Ron and Harry stood side by side, watching as Hermione placed her hand in Draco's. "He's been alright tonight," Ron commented quietly.

Harry nodded. "He's watched Hermione all night," he whispered. He chuckled softly at Ron's sudden wide-eyed expression of alarm. "Relax Ron. They're both single and she looks amazing. I've talked to Malfoy a few times in the past week. He's still a bit of a git sometimes, but he's decent enough. He just feels comfortable with her. Poor bloke must be horribly lonely after losing his wife." He felt strange expressing sympathy for Malfoy, and he assumed Ron felt the same when he saw his friend wince at the mention of Malfoy's loss.

"Alright," Ron said reluctantly. "You've made your point. The war's over, people change and that poor sod has a broken heart." He sighed and shook his head. "I'll try Harry. Can't promise that I'll be best mates with him, but I'll be as civil as humanly possible," he said.

"You've got a big heart," Harry said with a smile.

Draco felt reluctant to release Hermione at the end of the song, but he did it anyway. Dancing with her had been oddly comforting. She smiled at him, her cheeks tinged a lovely pink.

"Thank you," Hermione murmured.

"It was my pleasure," Draco responded politely. "I should probably get Scorpius to bed now."

Hermione nodded in understanding. She walked across the room to pick up Scorpius where Seamus and George were making faces to make the baby laugh. She gently kissed the baby's soft cheek as she walked him back to his father. "He's wonderful," Hermione said fondly, passing the child back to Draco.

"It was lovely seeing you again Malfoy," Ginny said sincerely. "I'm not around much since I'm touring with the Holyhead Harpies, but I hope I get to see you next time I'm around."

"Thank you," Draco responded with a nod. He carefully wrapped his son in a blanket to protect him from the wind and moved to the door. Befor ehe could walk out, Harry approached him again.

"Come round for dinner after work one day," Harry invited.

Draco's eye narrowed with suspicion. "Why?" he asked cautiously.

"Just a friendly invitation, I promise," Harry chuckled. "No expectations." He was pleased when Draco nodded before walking out so he could apparate home.