“Harry! C’mon!” Hermione called up to the boy’s dorm, dragging her trunk down the stairs, Crookshank’s basket on her arm.

“I’m coming, ‘Mione. Really, I am!” he assured her as he put out a hand to Silicia to let her wend her way up his arm and eventually drape herself around his neck where she could keep an eye on everything that happened to her young wizard. Stuffing his arms into his coat, making sure his gloves and muffler were stuffed in the pockets, Harry grabbed his trunk and began banging it down the steps to join his friend.

This season, Ron and Hermione were joining the Snapes at the Manor. Severus had told Draco he was more than welcome to invite a few of his friends as well, they certainly had the space to house quite a number of guests, but Draco had turned down the offer. He was learning to – tolerate – the other two Gryffindors and he preferred a peaceful, quiet Manor to the hustle of the Castle. If he’d had his druthers, he would like it to just be the three Snape men, but he wasn’t going to begrudge his brother the companionship of his two closest friends – next to Draco. Harry was fine with his brother’s choices and he was looking forward to spending the holidays with his family and his friends.

He joined Hermione and Ron at the door to the tower and they all made their way down the stairs, joining the throng of students heading towards the entrance hall. They waved their goodbyes to other friends with wishes for good holidays as they gravitated to an area near the dungeons entrance where they were to meet Draco and the professor. The three Gryffindors waited while the rest of the student body headed out the large doors to the carriages that would take them to the Hogsmeade train station.

Draco worked his way through the crush of Ravenclaws, saying farewells as he went, and joined his two trunks to those of the lions.

Harry looked over the additions, a smirk starting to light up his face. “Well, I see you’ve learned to cut back, brother dear. Travelling much lighter this year?”

Draco mock-punched his brother in the arm, but laughed with him. “As a matter of fact, I am. I feel safer leaving my stuff here than I did in my old house.”

Harry sobered up quickly, murmuring “Sorry,” to his sibling who waved it off with good grace. Draco was quite proud of the fact that he was getting along better with all of his new housemates. After the confrontation with Luna’s tormentors, he had gained a grudging respect from his year mates and older years, and the younger ones stayed away from him – except for Luna. She had taken to him like a beloved older brother – at least he interpreted it that way.  He didn’t mind, she was a good kid if a bit ditzy and had turned out to be a good friend. She had already given him a gift for the holidays, a purported charm necklace that included Butterbeer corks, radishes, and several other bits of twigs, feathers and things that she had insisted he wear. He had tucked it under his robes before leaving the tower. He wasn’t entirely sure what these wrackspurts were that it was supposed to keep away from him, but he wasn’t going to turn the gift down and risk hurting the ethereal girl’s feelings.

The four milled around in their corner until Severus appeared, carrying his own valise, from the dungeons. In his other hand he held a large, bright pink and lime striped plastic hoop that made a swishing sound as it moved by his side; the legend ‘Wham-O’ printed in large black letters graced its side. He was followed by the Snape chief elf, Runeskin who quickly used his magic to group the luggage together, including all the animal cages and, with a nod of his head, he laid his hand on the pile. A split second later there was a large snapping sound and the house-elf and luggage had vanished.

Hermione looked at the hoop her professor was carrying and, trying to stifle a giggle, managed to ask, in as dignified manner as possible, why the man was carrying a Hula-Hoop.

He sneered down at the lioness.

“May I?” she asked, holding out a hand. Since he saw no reason not to hand the object over, he did so. After she shucked her coat, gloves and muffler, he was surprised to see her place herself inside the hoop and position the backside of it against her waist. Harry had covered his mouth with one hand to stifle a giggle as he watched the others stare at the slight girl.

“I had one of these when I was younger,” she explained. “It is a great way to exercise your abdominal muscles, and it is loads of fun. Watch.” With a quick flick of her wrists she started the hoop moving while swirling her hips in place, a gentle swooshing sound accompanying it as the beads encased within moved around with the centripetal force. As the hoop gained momentum, the boys and Severus watched as she made minute adjustments to her stance so that it moved up and down her slim body. The four males looked on in amazement, Ron and Draco slackjawed, as the girl manipulated it down to her ankles, playing skip rope with it, moving it back up to her waist, around her neck, around her upraised arms then out onto one arm where she eventually stopped it when it reached her wrist.

Silently she handed back the hoop to Snape and looked over at the three boys. “What? It’s just a toy...” she said, smiling, as she took her outer gear back from Harry and shrugged it back on.

Ron just shook his head, and Harry had to lift his friends jaw up to close the gaping hole in Ron’s face. Draco was blushing.

“Merlin’s beard, Hermione,” Ron finally blurted. “That was incredible! I never knew you could move...” His speech was cut off by a hand muzzling him. Harry smiled at Hermione from behind Ron, still keeping his hand over his friend’s mouth. He had known what it was when he’d seen it, having watched the girls at his primary school play with them in the play yard.

“Wizards; always so stunned by Muggle contraptions,” he shared a giggle with her before Ron finally elbowed him to get him to let go. “So, Dad, what is with the Hula-hoop? I’m assuming you didn’t bring it with you because you fancy a go at it? Although I’m sure if you want to learn, Hermione would be happy to...” He stopped himself when he saw the glares that his father and Hermione cast in his direction, although his smile didn’t falter.

“The Headmaster has provided us with a Port key that I have attuned to the manor. Now, if you will all grab onto the hoop,” he instructed, holding out the plastic ring. The four students gathered around and placed a hand on the toy, holding it tight.

A spoken word from Severus and the children all gasped as a hook yanked at their mid-sections and tugged them through space, Hermione screaming for all her might in sudden fright.

“Miss Granger, you may stop that caterwauling this instant!” Snape censured as the group spun through the ether. Hermione quickly pulled herself together and clung to the hoop for dear life, knuckles white with her grip.

“Now, when I count to three, you will all let go.” Ignoring the look of panic and small whimper he received from Granger, he waited until he could feel the pull change direction to a downward motion. “On my mark: One, two... three! Let go!” All the children obeyed, Hermione screaming again, as they were flung away from the twirling object and they soon landed haphazardly in the parkland of Prince Manor, a tangle of limbs and sore torsos amongst the frost bitten grasses.

The four children moaned and groaned as they untangled themselves and sat up, rubbing sore spots as they watched Severus Snape float gracefully down out of the sky, hoop still in hand. He reached the ground and stood there, arms crossed, as the students hastily brushed themselves off and regained their own footing. When he was satisfied they were sorted, he turned and began the walk across the winter brown lawn toward the gravel and brick courtyard and the magnificent manor that commanded the attention of anyone in the vicinity.

The children filed behind him and he held the door open as they walked into the grand entryway, softly closing it behind him. He handed the hoop, now nothing more than the toy it had been originally, to the reddening witch, who accepted it gracefully.

“Draco, Harry, take your guests up to their rooms, if you would, please, so they can see where they are. I will expect all of you in the Solarium for tea in three quarters of an hour.” He watched as the children rushed up the stairs. Then, satisfied they were going where he had commanded, headed to his home office.

****

The children climbed the carpet lined marble stairs, eventually gaining the third floor and turned right down a long corridor that had dour portraits of former Prince scions gracing its walls. Several of the portraits murmured in dire tones that the boys were back again and trouble would soon follow, but the children ignored them. Eventually they came to the T crossing and turned left to enter the main sleeping wing. The first door on the right was Hermione’s room and she entered with a small cry of delight as she noticed the decidedly feminine tone of the room. The wallpaper was delicate yellow tea roses which were echoed in the fabric of the duvet on the bed, and included in an antique silk striped couch in front of the fireplace. Her trunk was already placed in her closet and its contents put away. Crookshanks was already asleep on the window seat, enjoying a spot of winter sunshine that warmed his pelt deliciously.

The boys left her to freshening up and Draco headed to his own room next to Hermione’s while Harry showed Ron his suite across from Hermione’s, which matched hers in layout but was decorated in greys and blues, before heading to his own suite across from Draco’s.

Hedwig had already arrived, he was pleased to note, and she was currently sleeping on her perch in front of his French doors. Silicia was asleep as well, so he uncurled her from his neck and placed her in a charmed terrarium that had a heated rock. She curled up tighter, letting out a sibilant sigh as the heat relaxed her. Harry chuckled lightly, stroking her head for a moment before heading to his own loo and handling his own ablutions before rejoining his friends in the corridor. Ron was standing there with a protective hand over his pocket, glaring again at Hermione.

“Just keep it in your room, Hermione; I won’t have it bothering Scabbers.”

“Why don’t you just keep your rat in your own room, Ron, and close the door. Cats can’t be expected to stay in one place, but rats can!” she emphasised with a stamp of her foot.

“Fine, I will!” he said before stomping back into his own room to deposit Scabbers in a wire cage, locking the gate securely. He stomped back out, a frown still on his face, closing the door a little more firmly than he probably should have. By then, Draco had joined the group and only raised his eyebrows at his brother in question.

Harry mouthed ‘Scabbers’ to his brother, who nodded imperceptibly in understanding before taking the lead down the stairs to the first level and back along some more corridors until they came to the Solarium.

They wandered the maze of plants to the central gazebo, which had been magically expanded to handle the extra place settings. The professor was already there, presiding over the teapot as Runeskin handled plates of sandwiches and biscuits and then levitated a bowl of fruit salad to the centre.

The students quickly scrambled to their seats, Ron seating himself as far from Hermione as possible. Severus took in the animosity between the two but said nothing as he poured out then passed around the plate of cream and sugar things, letting the teens fix the tea to their own likings.

After everyone served themselves, Severus began the conversation by asking what their plans were for that afternoon. All the children piped up at once and he had to raise a hand to forestall the noisome clatter.

“Miss Granger?” he asked her first.

She coloured a little before shyly asking if she could peruse his library.

“Of course; only those books you can reach without magic or climbing a chair, though; the rest are a little too advanced – even for you.”

She agreed readily, giving an excited wriggle on her seat in anticipation. He directed his attention to the boys then, asking Harry their plans.

“Well, Dad, we wanted to go flying if I could borrow your broom? Or did you want to go search for the tree this afternoon? Is mum’s tree too tall now?”

“No, I don’t think it is too tall, but we should probably let it go for another year before we bring it in again. I was thinking tomorrow should be the ideal day to go tree hunting, the weather should be fine. And yes, if you wish, you may borrow my broom to go flying.” He smiled indulgently at the three boys as their faces split wide with grins, high-fiving each other in enthusiasm. “Just dress warmly, please.” He admonished, dishing himself up a large scoop of the fresh fruit.

He lingered over his own tea after the teens had departed hastily. A discreet pop let him know Runeskin had appeared to clear the dishes. Without actually looking at the elf, Severus asked him, “Are the other set of rooms ready, Runeskin?”

“Yes, Master Severus. All is as you requested. The quarters on the second floor of the west wing are all prepared and warded. Is it to be tonight then?”

“I think so. It may not be needed – but I’m afraid it will be. Make sure the rooms are warm, and the fire going after six o’clock. It could happen anytime between then and morning.”

“As you wish. Lari will be the elf assigned to the rooms. She has experience in... these matters.”

“Good,” Severus said, rising to his feet after finishing his cup of tea and dusting off his lips with his serviette. “I shall be in my lab preparing various potions I feel may be needed.”

“Very good, Master Severus. Dinner shall be at seven.”

****

Harry was exhausted, having spent the entire afternoon flying with Draco and Ron. They had shown Ron the forest, the small Quidditch pitch – playing a short game with enchanted snow balls as Quaffles and Bludgers – and raced around the manor itself seeing it from all the different angles. They had come in rosy cheeked and laughing, storing all the brooms away in a small closet in the mudroom next to the solarium, as well as their wet cloaks and shoes, and had taken off down the slick marble hallways in their stocking feet.

Sliding along the marble in their socks was one of Harry and Draco’s favourite pastimes in the manor; making a competition of how far they could get a slide to go – which sock material was the best advantage (Harry favoured wool, Draco silk), and who could stay upright the longest. Ron joined in whole heartedly, never having such slick material to slide on before. Their laughter rang throughout the manor halls causing the portraits to either grin in remembered frivolity or grumble and snort in annoyance at having their nap disturbed.

Hermione had joined them for dinner in one of the smaller dining rooms, carrying a book with her from the library for reading later.

The evening had been spent in quiet games in the main parlour, while Hermione and Severus read by the soft lamplight. She was curled up in one corner of the sofa, both cats tucked in around her, devouring a history of Greek wizards and oracles.

At nine thirty, Severus had received a summons and had taken off, he said, to check in on a potions client he was treating. The teens had said goodnight and soon after had taken themselves to bed.

Harry yawned, his eyelids fluttering closed, allowing himself to check his mind barriers before succumbing to sleep. But despite his checking, disturbing images flickered across his brain; whispered voices, deep like his fathers and higher pitched as well. He got the impression of people carrying things, hurrying along dark tilted corridors. A high pitched cry was hushed, a low voice urging, and then he fell deeper into sleep and heard no more.

****

Hermione couldn’t sleep. She had gone to bed at the same time as the boys, whispering goodnights to each other before shutting their doors. She had been impressed to find her floo crackling merrily with a bright fire, her covers turned down and a brand new flannel nightgown, beribboned and lace edged, with a matching dressing gown and slippers, laid out on the bed. Usually, she was a practical girl and wore sleep pants and an undershirt or t-shirt to bed, but every now and then she had a romantic urge to wear old fashioned sleepwear and pretend she was a princess or one of the heroines of a Bronte or Austen novel. Someone had guessed and was indulging her fantasy. She gladly took the nightclothes into her bathroom and quickly changed, enjoying the feel of the kid-soft, fine Egyptian cotton flannel caressing her body. She gave a short twirl in front of the floo, watching the voluminous skirt and its lower deep ruffle flare out around her bare legs. She giggled in delight and, slipping on the slippers and dressing gown, grabbed her book to read. She settled in front of the fire, reading quickly and before too long, she had finished the book and it was still early.

She grabbed her wand off her nightstand and, tightening the cinch on her robe, slipped from her room and made her way towards the library, casting a Lumos in front of her as she padded along.

She descended the stairs quietly and was just about to step onto the second floor landing when she saw Professor Snape leading another figure coming up from the first floor. There was nothing for it, she was caught. He murmured something to the black cloaked figure who shifted a package in their arms and walked over to the young witch who was fidgeting in her embarrassment.

“Miss Granger, what are you doing wandering the manor at night?” he enquired in a low voice, remarkably non-threatening.

However, she still gulped reflexively before answering. “I was heading to the library, sir. I finished my book and it was still early so I thought...”

“You thought you’d go get another one?” he prompted.

“Yes, sir.” She nodded her head earnestly.

A small cry from the stranger’s vicinity caused the professor to sharply swing his head around then back again as Hermione exclaimed, “Is that a baby?”

She squeaked as he grabbed her arm, swearing and admonishing her to keep quiet, dragging her with him towards the stranger.

“Come on, we need to get you into the suite quickly before she wakes up the boys,” he urged the stranger.

A sob from the hood sounded before being stifled and the head nodded as the three of them headed to the left of the staircase and along the southern hallway until they hit another hallway and turned right bearing west. Hermione tried to get a look at the woman underneath the hood, but it effectively blocked her view, keeping the face in deep shadow. Professor Snape kept a firm on her elbow, leading her quickly along the corridors. They bypassed several doors on the north side of the hall until a door opened on the south side of the corridor spilling light and warmth into the hallway.

The bundled stranger cried at the sight of the welcome and stumbled into the room. Severus prodded Hermione before him and closed the door, setting silencing charms on it.

“We’re safe now, Narcissa,” he comforted, ignoring Granger’s gasp of surprise. He went over to the woman and helped to remove her cloak to reveal a dishevelled Narcissa Malfoy, dressed in a floor length coat, cradling a swathed newborn to her chest. He led her over to a padded rocking chair and helped her to sit as she unwrapped the baby to check on it. Hermione stood there in shock, clutching her book to her chest in wonderment.

She watched as a female house-elf bustled around the room, getting tea things together, bringing over a bassinette for the baby as well as clean and warm clothes for the infant. Hermione shook herself mentally and padded over to the mother, reaching out after setting her book down on a side table.

“May I help? I can get her changed for you while you get into some warmer clothes?” Hermione offered. Narcissa stared at her for a moment before looking up at Severus. He gave a discreet nod of the head showing her that the girl’s offer was sincere. She handed the newborn to the young witch and watched with an eagle eye as Hermione cradled the baby in her arms, taking care of the baby’s soft fontanel while she laid the baby down on a blanket on the warm settee, changing the nappy expertly, folding the edge down under the umbilical cord nub, and redressing the child in a warm all-in-one then rewrapping the baby in a receiving blanket.

“You do that like you’ve been around small children before, Miss...”

“Granger,” Hermione supplied. She picked up the baby, laying it against her shoulder while she supported its back, head and neck. Narcissa got up and began to remove a large black over-coat that revealed a red-stained nightgown underneath, and blood suddenly gushing to the floor. She paled and gave a small gasp causing Severus to swear as he caught her when she collapsed, accio-ing several potions from the store he had previously set in the room. He carried her into the bedroom, the potions bobbing along behind him as he laid her in the huge, curtained four-poster bed, banishing the soiled nightclothes and conjuring a new set, scanning his patient and administering blood clotting and blood replenishing potions. He murmured spells over her abdomen, tracing his wand in a complicated manner over the area, repeatedly scanning and spelling potions into the unconscious woman until he was satisfied she would survive the sudden haemorrhage.

Exhausted, he straightened up and murmured a freshening charm over the sleeping mother, cleaning her up after her ordeal of the evening. He caught sight of Hermione standing in the doorway, the baby still hugged to her chest. He motioned her ahead of him to the sofa where she sat down after placing the sleeping baby into the bassinette and covering her up with a light blanket. She scooted the bed closer to her seat to keep an eye on the newborn.

He took the seat at the other end of the sofa and reached for a cup of tea that the house-elf had just poured for him.

“Ask your questions, Miss Granger,” he said wearily.

She thought for a moment before posing her first question. “Does Draco know?”

“That his mother was pregnant, hopefully with his replacement? Yes. That she is here now? No.”

“You say ‘hopefully’?”

He took a long draught of the tea before responding. “When I petitioned the Ministry to start proceedings on Lucius being an unfit father and thus requesting that I be allowed to adopt him, Lucius caught wind and decided to release Draco instead. If Draco wasn’t going to be a good little son, following his sire’s beliefs and Dark Arts practices, then he was no son of Lucius’. So, he disowned him. His whole belief was that he could get Narcissa pregnant again. Please note that Lucius could have just as easily put a death order out on his son – but he did not, although I am sure he considered the option.” He placed his cup down and abruptly got up from the couch, pacing around the room.

“He was such a fool. I had told him years ago that Narcissa should never get pregnant again; she’d had enough problems attempting to get pregnant with Draco and then keeping the pregnancy. But he never listened. He went ahead and got her pregnant again. Somehow, against whatever miracle you want, she managed to keep this pregnancy viable.

“She began to worry, however, that if this child was a girl, Lucius would kill it outright, wait six weeks and try again. The next pregnancy would definitely kill her, if this one didn’t. As you saw, it almost did. If this had happened at the manor, she would not have survived that haemorrhage. After we saw her in September, she contacted me about possibly having to rescue her from Malfoy Manor if the baby was a girl. She told Lucius that she wasn’t due to deliver until New Years and sent him off on some hunting trip with some friends of his last night.

“The summons I received tonight told me that she had delivered a girl and needed to escape.”

Hermione let the information tumble in her head for a few moments.

“How is she going to escape from Mr Malfoy? Surely he is going to come back from his trip and be livid when she is not there. He’ll just track her down and kill her and the baby! ”

“Narcissa has properties inherited from her mother’s side of the family that are not attached to the dowry and thus Lucius. When she is stronger she will move to one of those and stay there permanently.”

“Doesn’t Mr Malfoy know where those properties are? Couldn’t he just track her down?”

Severus shook his head. “They are protected by the Fidelius, and Narcissa will never reveal her secret keeper. They will be perfectly safe there – as they are here. She will be gone before Lucius returns home.”

“Will Draco know his mother is here?”

“Soon, when she is feeling better. She is out of danger for now – but I want to make sure before I bring Draco in.” He gave her a piercing look, one she knew well from class; the one that said You will follow these directions or else... “I will decide when to let Draco know his mother and sister are here; you are not to let the information slip.”

“I understand, Professor,” she assured her stern Potions master.

“See that you do, Miss Granger.” He watched as she drew a soft finger along the sleeping baby’s arm before letting herself out the door.

He leaned back in the wing chair, summoning the bassinette closer, watching silently over the sleeping Malfoy women.

****

 The following morning, Harry was telling everyone at the breakfast table his strange dream from the night before, totally missing the dropped knife from Hermione and the quick look she sent to Professor Snape who had coughed discreetly while shaking his head once at her.

“You alright, Dad?” Draco asked, a concerned frown on his face.

“I’m fine, Son, just a piece of toast went down the wrong pipe. Are you ready to go find a tree for the parlour?” he queried, successfully changing the subject. He wanted to get Draco out of the manse.

The boys were ecstatic and began discussing what type of tree they were going to look for. Severus looked over at Hermione and asked her as well.

“If you don’t mind, sir, I’ll beg off this expedition. I love looking at Yule trees, but I don’t like going after them. I’ll just stay here in...”

“...the library,” all three boys finished for her.

She coloured a bit as she said defiantly, “Well, yes.”

Severus knew where she would be, and it wasn’t going to be in the library. He nodded at her in permission, and she happily bit into a piece of toast that she had smothered in butter and jam.

When the men of the household had buttoned on their cloaks and boots and tramped out of the mudroom to head toward the forested slope, Hermione gathered up her courage and headed up the stairs to the second floor, following her pathway from the previous evening. It had been a scary moment, being dragged down the corridors, but she had memorised the turnings and soon came to the door she wanted.

She quietly knocked, waiting until the door was opened by the house-elf, Lari, who bowed her inside.

“Child, come in, please,” came a voice from the sitting room. Hermione followed the voice and entered to see Narcissa ensconced on a fainting couch, a warm lap-rug over her lower half, bassinette near her – but she was cradling the little girl in her arms. She summoned over an upholstered hassock, placing it next to her and indicating that Hermione should sit.

“Are you feeling better, Mrs Malfoy? I was scared last night when you started bleeding!”

“Severus is an accomplished healer, Miss Granger, I am much improved. Just tired now from the actual birth – but that will pass soon enough.” She raised her cup of tea to her lips as she surveyed the young woman sitting next to her.

“I wanted to thank you for last night, Miss Granger. You were an immense help to Severus and myself by taking care of the little one during my crisis.”

“It was no trouble, Mrs Malfoy. She’s quite a sweet one, isn’t she?” she said while looking down at the infant.

Narcissa chuckled, “So far, but she is only one day old. Let’s give her some time to develop a personality.” She looked over the teen sitting next to her, giving her a calculating stare. “I don’t remember any Granger families in the registers – you are Muggle-born,” she stated as fact.

Hermione gulped, but held herself from trembling. She knew the Malfoy’s reputation of pure-blooded righteousness. Raising her chin a bit, and straightening her spine, she said, “Yes.”

Narcissa smiled. “No need to get your back up; I’ve known many fine Muggle-borns in my life; Harry’s mother, for one. We were good friends in school. You may ask why I married Lucius, then?” Hermione nodded, afraid to speak. “Well, it is quite simple, really, my father made a marriage contract with Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius’ father. As it was a magical contract, I couldn’t get out of it. Still can’t.”

Hermione was livid. “How – how could he do that!” she spluttered. She was clearly outraged at the atrociousness of such an arrangement still occurring in this day of age.

“Oh, my dear,” Narcissa said, a world weary smile on her lips.  “It is quite common among the pure-blood set. Normally the contracts are promissories only, the participants able to cancel before the wedding if they are truly not suited to each other. However, after my older sister, Andromeda, ran away with a Muggle-born, my father made my contract binding. He wasn’t going to have another daughter disgrace the family.”

“That’s barbaric!” Hermione cried.

“Yes, it is. But it was the way I was brought up. Draco, by the way, was never promised in this manner. I refused to let him be shackled that way. Andromeda is obviously happy in her marriage and Bellatrix and I were not.” She frowned a moment in recollection, but a burble from her daughter caused her worry to go away as she stared down at the little one.

“Severus has told you?” Narcissa continued without looking up.

“Yes, he told me. Are you sure you will be safe?” Hermione reached out a finger to the baby who instinctively grabbed it. Hermione smiled, she loved babies – as long as she could give them back.

“I have to think of what is best for her,” Narcissa answered softly. “Lucius would kill her. He wants a male heir to carry on the line and the name. It has been passed from father to son for centuries.”

“He could kill you!”

“No, he can’t. The marriage magic would kill him if he tried. No, he will take mistresses until one of them births a blond haired son with magic then he will acknowledge the child as his get and bring it to the manor to be raised.”

“And you can just sit there and accept it?” Hermione asked, flabbergasted.

“It is our arrangement. I rarely see him in any case unless it is to make an appearance.” She glanced down at the baby. “I will not have her raised in that environment. Severus offered to adopt her as one solution, but I can’t leave her.” She smiled at the infant. “No, since I can’t leave the marriage legally, I’ll leave it this way. Lucius can’t get to us. I have my own properties and vaults that Lucius can’t touch – it will be enough to live on comfortably until she is of age. I may go back to him then, I may not. At that point who will care?” she asked rhetorically.

Hermione shuddered, she had only a vague understanding of what Harry’s brother had gone through – even Harry didn’t know all of it, and then she sighed. “I understand. I don’t agree, but I understand.”

Narcissa smiled at the girl before they devolved into gossiping about babies and comparing wizarding child-rearing practices versus Muggle while the little girl slept on, content in her mother’s arms.