Breakfast at Natalie's

By the time Malfoy reached his apartment, it was eleven o'clock. The kitchen was dark except for the faint glow of the digital clock.

"Lumos," he muttered. He cast the beam of light in front of him; it illuminated a pale arm dangling off the kitchen table. His heart racing, he raised the wand higher, spreading the lighter further across the table to reveal a motionless body. There was a puddle of dark liquid flooding across the tabletop.

"Oh, Draco," yawned Natalie, stirring and lifting her head off the table as he approached.

"Jesus," he said, jumping, "you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry." She stretched wearily. "I was waiting for you. I must've dozed off... Oh no! I knocked over my coffee!" She quickly cleaned it up. "Evanesco!"

"I was working late. I should've called," he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to make you wait."

"I figured that's where you were." She lowered her voice. "Hermione's not too happy about it. She was worried to death."

Malfoy snorted. "Overprotective, she is."

"Anyway, I have good news!" she said brightly. "Someone's seen our ad for the apartment and they want to rent it as soon as possible."

"That's great," said Malfoy, opening the refrigerator. "What did you tell them?"

"I said we'd be moving out this weekend, so they could have it early next week. Does that sound alright?"

"That's perfect," he said, joining her at the table. "We'll just get everything in boxes and Apparate over. Shouldn't take too long, considering the fact that three of us can Apparate and I don't have much stuff."

There was silence as he sipped his iced pumpkin juice that he had specially delivered from the Leaky Cauldron every week. He set it down on the table with a dull thud.

"I have news as well, but I think I'll save it for the morning," he said.

"I'll be at work," she reminded him.

"Oh. Right." He paused, hesitant. "You're not going to like this at all."

"What is it?"

"There's...someone after Hermione." Natalie's eyes widened and she gasped. "Or should I say...some people."

"Why? What do they want?"

"Her," he said grimly. "I don't know what for, but I don't want to find out."

"Is she safe here?"

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head.

"How do you know this? Who are these people?"

"It actually happened by chance..." And he explained to her that night's events.

"So her husband...wants to kidnap her..." said Natalie slowly. "For revenge?"

"That's what I gathered."

"We have to stop them," she said resolutely.

"How?"

"We're going to find them before they find her."

"That's easier said than done, Natalie," he said gently. "But I don't want you to worry about it. I only told you because I thought you should know."

"How can I not worry?" she said, laughing dryly.

"It's late," he said, depositing his empty glass in the sink. "You should get some sleep."

"What about you? You're not going to sleep in your office again, are you?"

"I'll just sleep here on the floor," he said, conjuring a squashy sleeping bag and fluffy pillows.

"You can have the--"

"No," he said firmly. "You get the couch, I get the floor. End of story."

"You just like being chivalrous," she said with a teasing smirk as she settled under the quilt. Within minutes, they were both sound asleep.

---------------------

"Great costume, Draco," said Pansy, smirking.

Costume? What costume?

"I'm not--" He looked down at himself and realized that he was clad in a set of matching Santa underwear with jingle bells and sequins--women's underwear. "Oh my God."

"Hey, everyone," said Pansy, addressing the rest of the guests, "I think I've found the winner of our costume competition!

They swarmed around him, a crowd of witches and wizards dressed in holiday themed cloaks, some of the more daring ones actually wearing reindeer antlers or elf hats. Several camera flashes went off.

"Look at him."

"Why is he here?"

"He didn't want to sleep in his office last night," Natalie was saying to Hermione as they carefully stepped around his sleeping bag.

"Oh," said Hermione.

"He's so cute when he's sleeping. He looks like a little kid." Natalie placed a plate of toast on the table. "Is it weird to think your younger brother is cute?"

"Well, he is pretty cute," said Hermione, laughing as Malfoy began to stir. "Look how long his eyelashes are--they're like a girl's."

"Oh, look. He's waking up."

Malfoy opened his eyes and blinked uncomprehendingly at the faces staring down at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Was he still wearing the costume? He looked down at himself just to be sure. Nope, no costume, thank God. He was still in his clothes from last night.

"We were just discussing how adorable you are when you're sleeping," said Natalie, stirring her coffee. "And then you woke up."

"You're crazy," he said to her, rolling up the sleeping bag.

"Mm, I think I like him better asleep. What about you, Hermione?"

"I think I like him better when he's clean," joked Hermione. "Go take a shower while the water's still warm." They burst out laughing.

"Bunch of hyenas," he mumbled, trudging to the bathroom.

"I heard that!" called Natalie, causing the two women to start giggling again. Well, at least they were getting along well.

When he came out of the bathroom, Natalie had already left for work and Hermione was still at the kitchen table. She put down the newspaper when he sat down.

"I'm sorry about the way I was acting the other day," she said quietly. "I didn't really mean it."

"I know," he said.

"I was just angry. I didn't mean to take it out on you." She placed her hand over his and looked him straight in the eye. "I just want you to know that I don't hold anything against you. The past is the past."

"I love you," he said. The words came effortlessly because they were true.

"Don't," she said, shaking her head.

"Mummy?" Cassie was standing outside the bedroom door in her pajamas. Hermione quickly snatched her hand away.

"Yes, Cassie?"

"Are we going to school today?"

Right. School. She'd almost forgotten. But if she sent them to school, Joseph would find them there...

"No," she replied. "You don't have to go to school for the rest of the week."

"Okay. Mummy?"

"Yes?"

"Are we going to live with Uncle Draco and the nice lady?"

"Yes," said Malfoy. "You're going to live with us and we're going to be one big, happy family."

Cassie hugged them both and then went back into the bedroom, falling asleep again.

Malfoy turned to Hermione. "You're not sending them to school?"

"No," said Hermione. "I'm afraid that Joseph will find them there."

"You can' keep them out of school forever."

"No, I can't." She finished the rest of her coffee. "But for now, it's the best we can do. I'm going to call the school and tell them Cassie and Riley have the flu."

"That's lying," said Malfoy, arching his eyebrows.

She shrugged and began to dial. "Sometimes you have to lie."

------------------

After lunch, Cassie and Riley were complaining about nearly being bored to death, so Malfoy suggested going to the park.

"He wouldn't think to look for them there," said Malfoy, as he helped Riley bundle up against the cold. "Trust me."

They walked the short distance tot eh playground, then set the children loose to play on the seesaw. Hermione and Malfoy both sat on the swings, dragging their feet through the gravel below. Neither of them spoke for a while.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" She had been staring off into the distance, watching the clouds in the gray sky.

"There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "I overheard your husband planning to kidnap you."

"What?" She nearly fell off the swing.

"Last night, Charlie Jenkins and I were doing some investigating for Kingsley, and we heard--"

"Wait," she said, bewildered. "What does this have to do with Joseph? Why does Kingsley want to investigate him?"

"Not him, specifically." He paused. "Hermione, we think your husband is involved in some sort of smuggling gang. Actually, we're pretty sure that he is."

"I--that's impossible."

"From what we've gathered, we think he's the leader of the gang."

"You're lying to me."

"Why would I lie about this, Hermione?" he asked frustrated.

"I don't know," she said wildly. "It could be some sort of ploy to get me on your side."

"My side of what, precisely?"

"I don't--I'm asking you," she said angrily. "How do I know that you haven't engineered some sort of plan--some clever ruse--to make me divorce Joseph so you can have me for yourself?"

"You should've been an Auror," said Malfoy, shaking his head in disbelief. "Though you're a bit like Potter--too paranoid."

"I'm not paranoid!" she screeched, causing several birds to take flight in alarm. She lowered her voice slightly. "I'm just concerned for the welfare of my children. We were doing perfectly well, and then you came along--"

"Hermione," he interrupted, "I don't understand where this is coming from. Are you saying that I ruined your life?"

"Yes!" she shrieked. "Yes, I am. If it weren't for you, I would be at work right now and the kids would be at school. If it weren't for you--"

"You would be wandering around London with no place to go," he said pointedly.

"Exac--no! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have to be wandering around," she said emphatically. "And last night I would've been home with Joseph--"

"And what? The two of you would've lived happily ever after?" He snorted. "Stop trying to delude yourself, Hermione."

"I--you know what? I don't need this right now," she said, getting off the swing. "And I especially don't need it from you." She began walking away from the swing set.

"Where are you going?"

She didn't answer, but continued to storm off towards the exit of the park.

"What about the kids?"

She stopped and then turned to glare at him, her hands on her hips.

"I don't think I need to worry about them because you'll take care of them, won't you?" she said haughtily, turning her back on him. She took a few steps forward and whirled around to face him. "And don't insult Harry Potter. He's my friend, and he's a better man than you'll ever be." She turned around and then stalked out of sight.

Malfoy sighed, stung by her comments. She might as well have slapped him in the face. She was right: he would take care of Cassie and Riley. He loved them like they were his own children. He watched them play for a while, oblivious to the fight that had been going on, and then decided to take them home. He held their small, gloved hands in his as they crossed the street.

"Can we go in there?" asked Cassie, pointing to the café as they approached it.

"Why do you want to go in there?"

She shrugged.

"Can I have some ice cream, Uncle D?" asked Riley, watching as a waitress served someone a bowl of strawberry ice cream.

"Wouldn't that make you cold?"

He relented after Cassie made puppy-dog eyes at him.

"Mr. Malfoy!" exclaimed Emily when they entered. "This is quite unusual. And who have we here?" She squatted down to look Cassie in the eye. "Hello, sweetie."

"Hi," she said shyly.

"Let's get you a table by the window," said Emily, grabbing three menus.

"I want to sit up there," said Cassie, pointing at the stools in front of the counter where Natalie was clearing away dishes.

"Sure, sure," said Emily, leading them over to the stools. She winked at Malfoy. "Let me know when you're ready to order."

The children jabbered away excitedly, arguing over which flavor of ice cream was the best. Cassie finally decided on peppermint; Riley wanted chocolate with sprinkles.

"Anything for you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Just coffee, thanks."

The kids were happily digging into their ice creams when Natalie came over to fill his coffee cup.

"Where's Hermione?" she whispered.

"She's...not here," he answered lamely.

"Well, I can see that," she said sarcastically. "Did you two fight again?"

"She started it," he said, cursing himself for sounding so childish.

"You two argue like an old, married couple." Malfoy gave her an odd look. "Oh, sorry," said Natalie, realizing her mistake. "What did you fight about?"

"It was stupid," he said. "She got all angry and started blaming me for screwing up her life. I mean, how is it my fault she married a guy like that?"

"She's just stressed," said Natalie. "She'll come around."

"She'd better. I don't think I can stand any more of it. I'm starting to think she's gone mad."

The customers trickled away, and soon there was no one else left in the diner.

"Business is slow on Tuesdays," said Emily, coming by to wipe down the counter. "Natalie, why don't you go home early? There's only an hour left until closing time, and I really don't think there'll be anyone coming in."

"Oh, um, okay. But don't you need me to lock up?"

"No, that's okay. I'll do it."

Natalie told Malfoy to take the kids home first, and that she'd be out in a minute. She paused, her hand on the door.

"Are you sure, Emily?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she said. "By the way, cute kids. Are they his?"

"No," said Natalie. "He's just babysitting."

"Oh," said Emily. "Then I've still got a chance?"

"Maybe," said Natalie. But it's a slim one. He's totally in love with Hermione, even though they bicker all the time. They grinned at each other. "See you later."

--------------------

Malfoy began to worry when Hermione didn't show up for dinner.

"Did she say where she was going?" asked Natalie, when the children were out of earshot.

"No," he said, kneading his forehead with his hands. "She just walked off."

"Well, she's not going to abandon her kids."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know what she said to me before she left? She said, 'I don't think I need to worry about them because you'll take care of them, won't you?'"

"She said that?" said Natalie, looking aghast.

"And the thing is, she's right. I am going to take care of them. Even if she abandons them, I won't. I love them like they're my own kids," he said, his voice this with emotion.

"Oh, Draco," said Natalie, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Everything will be alright."