Forever and Always<3

Chapter Eight: Of Little Kids and Monsters

4. I want to make a child happy.

DING DONG!

Hermione groaned and stirred on her couch. Last night, she had indulged in a movie marathon all by herself (Draco was not with her; he was busy with his Healer duties) and had dozed off after watching the ninth movie. She was too tired to trudge up to her bedroom and so she just chose to sleep on her couch.

DING DONG!

The brunette groaned again, this time snapping her eyes open. "It's still too early!" she moaned, begrudgingly sitting up on her couch. She ran a hand through her hair, grabbed her red robe and wrapped it around her. She slipped her feet into her fluffy, bed slippers and dragged herself towards the door. Softly, she grumbled and cursed the intruder. "Bloody impatient person… still too early!" she grumbled.

Rubbing sleep out of her eyes, Hermione opened her door. Lo and behold, there stood Draco Malfoy.

She scowled upon seeing him. "Merlin, Malfoy you should have apparated inside," she snapped before releasing a wide yawn.

"I woke you up, I see," he said, smirking at her bed head.

"That's right, Captain Obvious," she grumbled, making a move to shut the door in front of his face. "Now, piss off and leave me alone."

"Language, woman," he tutted, wagging a finger in front of the grouchy brunette. "There's a child watching."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. Her eyes landed on the little, cute, blonde girl currently standing beside her doorframe, one small hand tightly clutching the older blond's. Her eyes widened as she stared back at the child. "MY GOD, Draco! Why didn't you tell me you had a daughter?!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Silly Granger," he said, ruffling the brunette's brown tresses. He looked down at the shy little kid and patted her blonde hair. "Don't worry, kiddo. She's just being dramatic, okay?"

"Draco…"

"She's not my daughter, all right," he said, eyes snapping back at the suspicious brunette.

"Then who is she? Why is she here?" she asked, looking at the child frantically.

The blond tilted his head to the right. "Shame on you, Hermione," he said, shaking his head. "You do not know her?" Draco looked at the child sadly. "Sorry Sophie, your mother doesn't know you at all." When Draco looked back at Hermione, he smirked, getting the reaction that he had hoped to achieve.

"MOTHER?!" she exclaimed. The little child, Sophie, flinched and hid herself behind the older blond. Hermione's eyes widened. "SHE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER! I'M STILL A VIRGIN, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Some of her neighbors opened their doors and looked at Hermione's apartment curiously.

The Malfoy heir shook with laughter. "Christ, woman, you didn't have to shout at the top of your lungs that you've never slept with a guy," he pointed out in between laughs.

"You ferret!" Hermione growled, making a move to attack the still laughing blond. She immediately stopped once hearing a small whimper coming from behind him. Her eyes immediately landed on little Sophie who stared back at her with frightful eyes.

"Look at what you did," the blond said, shaking his head. He carried the frightened girl in his arms. "She's frightened."

Hermione opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say. "It's… it's your fault," she spat back at the blond, horrified that Sophie had started to cry. "I… Merlin, please don't cry!"

Draco was laughing again. "There, there, kiddo," he said. "She's really a monster in disguise. Don't come near her at all, okay? She eats little children." His statement did nothing to calm the wailing child and Sophie just cried harder.