A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you guys liked the last chapter. So you all got to know that whatever Draco did, it was because of what he had talked about with Lucius. Again, I apologise for the weird ending of that chapter, but I wanted to end it in a normal way, and I didn't get many ideas that time. Read the A/N at the end to find out when the next chapter will be out. On with the chapter! 

One year later... 

February 2006

"Mi! Mi!" Athena held out her hands towards her as her father carried her, walking towards his best friend. 

"Hello my munchkin." Hermione smiled and took her from Draco. "Happy Birthday, Athy." She kissed her on her forehead. 

"Yeah yeah, go on, forget all about your best friend of seven years who is standing right in front of you." Draco scowled at her. 

She rolled her eyes and grinned at him. "Who will look at you when we have this beauty," She pointed at Athena, "in front of us." 

"Ahh, I knew it." He nodded. "You were just around me before for my looks. And now, you are my best friend just because of Athy." 

Athy- the nickname they had given to her- giggled and patted Hermione's cheeks with her small hands, oblivious to the banter going around her. "Mi!" 

"That's right, munchkin." Hermione nuzzled her. "You support your 'Mi' right? Tell your dad that you support me." She said, pointing at Draco. 

The youngest Malfoy grinned widely, and buried her head in the crook of Hermione's neck. And as to prove the ex Gryffindor witch's statement, she kept muttering, "Mi, Mi, Mi." 

Draco shook his head. "Even my own daughter doesn't support me. How sad is that." But a second later, he smiled as Athy continued her muttering. "I think she likes you the most, even if she cannot properly speak your name yet."

Hermione smiled back at him, and said, "Is that jealousy I spot, Draco?" 

He scoffed. "I am just stating the truth. I don't know how you manage to make everyone come on your side."

She leaned in a bit closer to him, and whispered. "It is called being nice, Draco, something I am not sure you are familiar with, or even know about." 

"What is with you and everyone insulting me? I swear, one of these days, I am going to get back at you all. And it will not be nice then."

"I will eagerly wait for that day, Draco." Hermione grinned at him. "Do let me know in advance for that. I am sure you will succeed." She said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Draco rolled his eyes. "There's no point in arguing with you. You will never change. Anyways, how are Potterette, Lightning Bolt and Potter Junior?" 

"Ginny, Harry and James are fine and will arrive in a few minutes. Honestly, will it kill you to call them by their names? And Lightning Bolt? How do you even come up with such names?"

"It's called talent, Granger, talent. Something I am not quite sure you are familiar with." Draco smirked, repeating her words from earlier.

He continued, "Besides, it is not like Potter has any problem with it. He already has so many stupid nicknames like The Chosen One. At least the name I gave him is cool." 

"You and your ego." This time, it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. "What Astoria even saw in you to get together with you in the first place is beyond me."

Though Draco knew it was an innocent, joking and a bit funny (according to her, anyways) statement, he couldn't help but overthink it.

If only she knew why Astoria and him even started dating during their eighth year, he thought.

Hermione, too, couldn't help but overthink her own statement.

How can you question what she saw in him when you yourself fell for him as well? She thought. 

Draco was not proud of what he had done, not at all. At times, he even hated himself for how he had treated Astoria, despite her telling him several times that it was not exactly his fault, and that it was for the best only. He even told her that she should be angry with him for acting like that.

And when she had not been able to convince him even then, Astoria told him, "Look, Draco, I don't care about the start. I don't care about why you asked me out. And lastly, I don't care about what was the actual purpose behind us dating. The only thing I care about is where we are today. I never thought about those stuff the moment we became 'real', and I never will again. You have given me so much happiness, love and affection, how can I ever be angry with you after that?"

All in all, he could not have asked for a better partner. 

If someone had told him that one day, he would end up with Astoria, that too not because of a marriage contract, he would have not given that statement a second thought.

After all, him ending up with an uptight pureblood witch in a loveless marriage was just out of the question.

And to be honest, he had kind of disliked Astoria when he was younger. He knew that she liked him, but even then his opinion hadn't changed. She was just his friend, if you would even call her that, since he had always ignored her.

But it seems as if fate had different ideas.

It was only during the war that everything had changed.

The Greengrasses had always been neutral about the whole thing, never supporting Voldemort, but believing somewhat in blood purity as well.

Draco had thought that he would be left alone when he returned back for his seventh year. And he was proven right. He didn't want to be with Crabbe and Goyle, as he had started doubting the whole blood prejudice thing.

Blaise and Theo, who had become his close friends during sixth year, had started ignoring him, thinking he was proud to be a Death Eater, for Draco had never told anyone (that is, except Astoria, whom he told during the war) why exactly did he have to take the mark until after the war.

It was Astoria who had been the only one to be there for him during that time.

She was the one to come up with excuses when he was ordered to use spells on students. She was the one to help him brew healing potions, and give them to the members of the DA discreetly. She was the one to believe he was never really evil, assuring him that everything would be fine.

After that, he had declared himself as an idiot after that for even thinking that she was boring when he had met her for the first time.

She was an amazing woman, and he was glad to have her in his life.

"DRACO! LEAD THE GUESTS INSIDE! THE PARTY IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE HALL, NOT ON THE ROAD OUTSIDE." Astoria shouted, breaking his train of thoughts (and he didn't know whether or not to be thankful about that). 

Draco shook his head, and decided to add some words to his previous statement. She was an amazing woman, who loved to tease him, take his best friend's side over his, and support the stupid spew, but still Draco would change nothing about her.

"Let us go inside before either her or my mother comes out, and then scold me for not allowing you to enter." Draco said as he took his daughter from her, and led her inside.

----------- 

"Okay, okay, it is time for the gifts now." Narcissa declared just as the food fight, or better, the cake fight ended. 

They had just cut the cake, when Blaise saw a piece of cake flying towards him, and hit him in the face. 

As he wiped the cake from his face, he saw Draco laughing at him. Thinking he was the one to thqrow it at him, considering he was holding a piece of cake in his hand, Blaise glared at him, picked up a piece from the tray Astoria was holding and threw it at him. 

Thankfully, due to his amazing seeker skills (well, Draco was the only one who thought they were amazing), he managed to dodge it and it landed on a person standing behind him. 

Draco wasn't Draco if he would just stand there and do nothing. Sure, the piece did not succeed in hitting him, but Blaise did try to do that, even when it was not actually his fault at all.

"Why would you do that idiot?" He snarled, picked up a piece of cake from the tray and threw it at him. 

Unfortunately, for Draco, Blaise had already put up a shield charm around him, and instead of the cake hitting him, it hit the shield, deflected and hit Harry instead. 

Now imagine, two Slytherins and One Gryffindor, who were friends but had been hit on their faces by cake that too by each other, causing everyone to laugh at them, even the one year old Athena. 

Who would enjoy embarassing themselves in front of everyone, right? 

Harry, following Draco's actions, tried to throw cake at him, but failed, and it hit his wife on her face instead. 

And that started the cake fight, in which one by one, everyone joined. 

Well everyone except Narcissa. 

She was furious as she saw the Hall she had decorated so nicely, in Hufflepuff colours of course, getting ruined. 

Immediately, she took her wand out, pointed it at the immature people having a cake fight and muttered a spell. She created a barrier among everyone, and using Sonorous charm on herself, said, "Are you all out of your minds?" 

Not giving them a chance to answer, she continued, "I will not tolerate anyone ruining my granddaughter's birthday." 

The said person was busy giggling at everyone, clapped her hands and gestured for her father to pick her up.

"You all destroyed the decorations, and even the cake that I had baked myself, and it was the first time I had ever tried doing it. Just look at the hall- it looks so bad." Narcissa shook her head. 

"At least it looks better than before." Draco interjected. "It looked ghastly earlier. Hufflepuff colours really, Mother? I thought I had specifically told you to use green and silver coloured decorations." 

"Your daughter likes the colour yellow, and it is her birthday, so you don't get to say that it was ghastly, Draco Lucius Malfoy." His mother snapped. "Just tell me one thing, why did you throw cake at my son, Blaise?" 

"Because he threw it at me first!" Blaise pointed his finger at his best friend. "It is all his fault, honestly. If he hadn't done that, then this Hall would not have been ruined." 

"Me? How dare you, idiot? I haven't done anything." Draco glared at him. "He was the one who threw it at me, and of course, you can't expect me to not get back him back for that. It's his fault." 

Before he could say anything further, they heard someone laughing at them. Harry turned towards his son, who was sitting next to Athena, whom he considered her as his best friend, and narrowed his eyes. 

"Did you throw cake at Uncle Blaise, James?" He asked him. 

His son nodded. "Magic! I did magic! It was so much fun." 

The Chosen One sighed, and turned towards the Italian wizard. "I am sorry, Blaise. As James is turning three soon, there has been bouts of his accidental magic, and it is really hard to control. And you know how mischievous he is." 

Blaise grinned. "Of course he is mischievous, he is named after two Marauders, isn't he? And not to mention, his father is Harry freaking Potter, who has been looking for trouble since his first year-"

"I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me. And mind you, I was not that mischievous." Harry interrupted him. 

"-so it is completely understandable if James has a knack for mischievousness as well." He finished, ignoring whatever Harry said. 

"That's it? Just like that? You were so angry when you thought it was me who had thrown the cake at you. At least say something more to Potter." Draco said. 

"Why should I? And besides, even if did go looking for trouble," At this, Harry glared at him, but Blaise continued, "He did save our lives after all." 

"Doesn't matter. What-" 

Narcissa cut her son off. "Alright alright, before this stupid banter turns into an idiotic argument, I suggest you all shut up." 

When nobody seemed to agree with her, she said, "Let's open the gifts now." She picked up her granddaughter, and led everyone into the living room, where a pile of gifts were lying on the floor. 

"Bloody ungrateful prats." Harry muttered as Draco, his so called best friend, narrowed his eyes at him. 

A few hours later, when everyone had gone back to their homes, Draco started picking up the gifts and carrying them to the nursery as Astoria gave Athena a bath. 

When his wife returned from the bathroom, he took his daughter from her and peppered her face with kisses. 

"So which gift did you like the most?" He asked Athena. 

Even though she couldn't understand him, she wiggled her fingers towards the toy lying on top of the table (she had not let go of it ever since she received it). Draco sighed as he looked at it. 

It was a stuffed ferret. 

Given to her by none other than Hermione Jean Granger. 

His best friend really had a terrible sense of humour.

Astoria laughed as she picked up the toy and handed it to their daughter. "Wonder how she will react when she gets to know that her father was once turned into a ferret." 

Draco shook his head. "Don't you dare tell her." 

"Even if I don't, somebody else will tell her, Draco." She grinned at him. "Oh and not only that, I have heard your other embarassing stories as well." 

Though he knew he would really hate it when somebody would tell those stories to his daughter, there was nothing he could do to prevent it. 

----------

Few days later...

Astoria hugged Hermione as soon as she entered the Malfoys' house. She had invited her for lunch, while Draco had taken Athena to visit Diagon Alley along with Lucius and Narcissa. 

"Thank you for inviting me." The ex Gryffindor witch smiled at her friend as they sat down on the couch. 

"No problem. I thought we should have some girl time, something that hasn't happened ever since you and Draco got a very important case a few months back." She said. "I also invited Ginny, but she could not come as she had Quidditch practice. Will you go to her next game?" 

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I have never really been interested in Quidditch. It is kind of boring, you know?" 

Astoria laughed. "Don't let Draco hear you say that. He will have your head, I am sure. But to be honest, I have never been that interested in Quidditch, either." 

"Really?" Hermione asked her. "But you still go to see those matches with Draco, don't you? You can just say no to him when he asks whether or not you will go with him." 

"I know, and believe me, I used to do that before." She smiled. "But it is not that boring nowadays, you know? Draco knows I don't like Quidditch, so he doesn't ask me to go to those matches. But three years after we graduated, there was this match that Draco was really excited to go and see, and I don't know why, but I just said that I will go with him, and you can't imagine how large his smile was when I agreed. He had been itching to go watch a match with me, and tell me about the sport he loves so much. And to ensure that I wouldn't get bored during the match, he brought my favorite book as well." 

At this, both of them laughed. "Well I can say that it was really thoughtful of him to bring a book to a match. I would have never imagined him doing that." Hermione said. 

"I mean, he did bring a case file with him to an opening of a bookstore, which I had really wanted to attend and seeing my excitement, he said that he would come with me, even though he hates those things." Astoria told her. 

She continued, "And anyways, we always go to a park or a restaurant after a match, so it is not really that bad. You should definitely come to Ginny's match, you can bring your book if you want, but if you don't, we will talk about our favourite books so you don't get bored, I promise." She squeezed her friend's hand. 

Hermione smiled. "You and your cunningness, a Slytherin through and through. But fine, I will come with you all. And maybe we can even hang out in the Leaky Cauldron afterwards, since Harry had told me that they were planning to go to that pub soon." 

After a few more minutes, the two witches decided to have lunch, all the while discussing about books. 

As Hermione walked towards the door to leave, Astoria said, "Hermione... I just... I just wanted to thank you, for everything." 

"You don't have to thank me, Astoria." 

She shook her head. "I owe you a lot. You saved Draco's life five months back, and you even took over his cases because you knew he was not going to rest completely knowing he had so much work to do. And you even calmed him down before Athy was born, remember? Otherwise I am sure he would have had a panic attack. And now, you are helping me to find the solution for... You know what, even though I have told you that there's nothing anyone can do. So thank you." 

Hermione hugged her friend tightly. "You don't have to thank me for all those things, or even anything else, Astoria. You are my friend, and I would do anything for you, just like I know you would do as well." 

She pulled back and said, "Besides, I promised you that I will help you find a solution for that. And I think I will be successful in doing that." 

-------

One and a half months later (March 2006)...

After dropping off Athy at Draco's office, since had told her that he was free that time, but would not be able to come home early at night as he was going to visit someone for the case, and thus wanted to spend some time with his daughter, Astoria made her way towards Diagon Alley.

Hermione had wanted to come here as well to buy a few things, but she had told her that she would buy whatever Hermione wanted, and would give it to her afterwards. 

As she entered the Potions' shop that had just been opened a few days back, she looked at the list in her hand. 

Hermione had gotten an idea about the curse when she had last visited Astoria, but since no one had made this kind of potion before, the ingredients were really hard to find. 

Fortunately for them, the new Potions' shop had all kind of ingredients available, whether it were the most famous ingredients, or the rare ones. 

"How can I help you?" A witch asked her. 

"Umm... I need these ingredients-" Astoria was just about to tell her the names when somebody called her. 

"Samantha! Come here." The witch, Samantha, looked at the person who had shouted and sighed. 

Turning towards Astoria, she said, "I am really sorry. The store is really busy today, so I won't be able to help you. Will you be able to find whatever you need on your own?" 

"Of course." Astoria nodded. She went towards the shelves, and started putting the items she needed in the basket Samantha had provided her before walking away. 

She decided to collect the items that she needed, and would find the rare ingredients that were on Hermione's list later on. 

After a few minutes, when she had done her shopping, she went to the person who was rearranging the potions, and asked, "Where can I find the rare ingredients?" 

"There," the person pointed the back room to her, and then looked back at the shelves, "You will find the rare ingredients-" 

But before he could finish his sentence, Astoria had walked away from him. 

Not noticing that she was no longer standing there, he finished his sentence. "And the poisonous ones as well, they are on the green colour shelves, so be sure to wear the magical gloves before you enter the room." 

Astoria's eyes widened as she entered the room. There were so many ingredients, some of which she had only heard about, and some which were only supposed to be myths. 

She went towards the shelves and started collecting the ingredients she needed. As she was about to go back, she accidentally bumped into a box which was kept on the green colour shelf, and a few items that were kept in the box, fell on the ground. 

Without thinking twice, Astoria bent down to pick them up. 

She picked all of them up, and placed them back inside the box. It was only when she saw the parchment glued to the front of the box that she realised what she had just touched. 

Rare Venomous Tentacula: The most poisonous ingredient. Do NOT touch it without wearing gloves. 

---------

"I am thinking of buying a broom for Athy." Draco said as he watched Hermione making faces at his daughter. 

Astoria had dropped off Athy half an hour back, and since then, the two had been playing with her, even though Hermione was supposed to be working. 

"You can't just buy a broom for a one year old, Draco. She has just started walking, for Merlin's sake. Besides, you don't even know whether or not she will like Quidditch." Hermione told him. 

"That's exactly what Astoria said. But I will buy her a broom soon, maybe in a year or two. Potter bought a child broom for his son a month back, and it is very a safe one. Oh and, she will definitely like Quidditch, Granger. She will be the Slytherin seeker in the future, I am sure about that." 

"If it were up to you, you will charm the Sorting Hat to ensure that Athy will be in Slytherin. But she could be in Hufflepuff for all we know. Let Astoria come back, and we will ask her. She will agree with me." 

Before he could say something, his phone started ringing. The smile he had on his face vanished when he heard what the person who had called him said. 

His phone dropped from his hand to the floor, but he could care less about that. 

"Draco? What happened?" Hermione asked him. When he started shaking, she added, "You are scaring me, Draco. Tell me what happened." 

"A-astoria..." Draco whispered, his voice cracking. "S-she touched a poisonous plant, and i-is very critical right now. T-they don't k-know she will..." 

Even though he faltered, Hermione knew exactly what he was going to say. 

A/N: That's it this chapter. It was 3800+ words. Hope you guys liked it. I think the cake fight scene was a bit weird, but honestly, I didn't have any other ideas except that for a normal fluffy scene for this chapter, so I wrote that. Anyways, this is what I meant when I said that the previous chapter was the last 'normal' chapter. So what do you think of the last scene? Also, I never wanted to do this to Astoria, but I had planned it when I first thought about this story. Random question: Whom do you hate more, Voldemort or Unbridge? Answer in the comments below. Vote, comment and please share my story. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you! 

Next chapter on 18/10/20(Sunday). 

Until next time.