"Mum, what's that smell? And why are you covered in that white powdery stuff?"

I was frantically bouncing around the kitchen trying desperately to clean up all the flour that had managed to settle on every fucking surface.

"Pancakes, Al! I thought we could have brunch!" I said brightly, glancing up at the clock and wondering desperately if I had time to run upstairs and get changed.

"What's brunch?"

"It's what well to do people do."

"Are we well to do people?

"We do alright."

Actually, we really did. My position as Head of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry paid very well indeed. It meant that I could sell up my cramped little city flat and relocate to a modest sized house in the country. It wasn't so huge that Albus and I are were rattling around, but it was large enough for us to be comfortable and able to accommodate guests.

Plus, it had a fucking massive garden.

The doorbell went, making me startle.

Damn it. They were early.

"Stall them," I ordered Albus, throwing off my apron. "I just need to put something fresh on."

And without waiting for a response, I ran upstairs, diving into my bedroom as I frantically stripped off, silently scolding myself for getting so worked up about this.

The sounds of male voices drifted up from down in the hallway as I emerged two minutes later in non-floury clothes. My heart thudded in my chest as I began to descend the stairs.

"Nice place, Potter,"

There he was. Suited up in his usual black attire, white-blond hair falling lazily over his pale pointed face and silver-grey eyes twinkling up at me in amusement.

Fuck, why did he have to be so bloody gorgeous?

"Draco, Scorpius, it's good to see you both," I said, smiling down at them as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

As usual, Scorpius looked every inch his father. I swore Draco must have styled his son's hair because it was exactly like his own.

"Hello, Mrs Potter, it's very kind of you to invite me to stay." Scorpius said politely, offering his hand out to me.

Personality wise, however, they could not have been more different.

Shaking Scorpius's hand, I flashed an appreciative smile at Draco, letting him know I was impressed with his son's manners.

"Er, Scorp, it's Miss Potter, actually," Draco drawled, a little too condescendingly.

"Yes, thank you, Draco." I said, throwing him a filthy glare before turning to Scorpius. "But please, enough with the formalities. I want you to feel at home whilst you are staying here. Call me Etta."

"Mum, what's that burning smell?" Albus piped up from behind them, sniffing the air.

"Shit - the pancakes!"

I ran into the kitchen and tossed the burning frying pan into the sink where it hissed angrily in the cold water.

"Mum's making brunch," I heard Albus explaining as they sauntered in behind me. "Apparently it's what well to do people do."

Thank you very fucking much, son of mine.

Draco chuckled softly, looking thoroughly entertained as I scraped the blackened pancakes into the bin. "Never change, Potter."

"Well, there's still coffee." I shrugged, resisting the urge to stick my fingers up in his infuriating face. "You'll stay for one, won't you?" I added lightly.

"Sure, as long as it's drinkable. I don't suppose you can ruin coffee, can you?" he smirked, helping himself to a seat at the kitchen table.

"Boys?" I asked, who were stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Anything?"

"I'm going to show Scorp my room," Albus said, already pulling at his friend's arm. "We'll have something later; you know like at lunchtime."

And they disappeared, leaving Draco and I alone. I suddenly felt very self conscious as I moved around the kitchen making the coffees, sensing his eyes on me the whole time.

"How did you travel?" I asked, finally breaking the silence as I placed a steaming mug down in front of him and joined him at the table.

"My driver's outside," Draco said cockily as he beckoned towards the window. Sure enough, I glanced out to see a large black limousine parked across my drive, a figure seated in the driver's side, obscured behind a newspaper.

"Oh. Should we invite him in for a coffee?"

Draco's eyes widened in horror, giving me a contemptuous shake of his head. "For a well to do woman, Potter, you really are clueless. You don't mingle with the servants."

"I may not have staff serving me round the clock, Draco," I tutted, rolling my eyes at his complete snobbish attitude, "but at least I know how to treat people with respect."

"So," Draco said, apparently choosing to ignore my last comment. "Do I get a tour of Potter Palace?"

With a slow sip of my coffee, I looked up at him over my cup, suddenly being reminded of how he used to infuriate me so. And it occurred to me just then why I had been so anxious about him turning up at my home; it was because I had wanted him to see with his own eyes that I had done well without him. I had not needed him, and I never would.

"Well, this is the kitchen."

"I guessed that."

"Through there's the hallway." I pointed at the door we had just come through.

"I noticed."

"And above us is upstairs." I pointed to the ceiling.

"I assumed there was a reason you had a staircase. Do I get to see it?"

"No. Tour over."

"You can do better than that, Potter." Draco's eyes flashed wickedly. "I've driven a long way to get here."

"You mean your driver drove a long way."

"Don't I have a right to inspect the premises where I'll be leaving my son for the next two weeks?"

And who the fuck did he think Albus was? A pet?

"Oh, come on then," I sighed heavily, noisily scraping my chair back.

He stood up just as I went to walk past him, blocking my path. I was hit quite suddenly with the scent of cologne and, caught off guard, the breath hitched in my throat and I shivered. I quickly looked away to hide the flush I could feel rising to my cheeks.

"You know you have flour in your hair, Potter?" he murmured softly. And then, he lifted a hand, running his fingers down strand of my hair.

Our eyes met and I froze.

"Don't." I said abruptly, my heart racing noisily in my chest as I glared at him fiercely.

A look of disappointment flitted over his face as he dropped his hand.

"You wanted a tour, remember?" I said pointedly, nodding to the door behind him.

"Sure," he muttered, finally stepping aside. "Lead the way."

I led him to the large and airy sitting room where huge French doors looked out over our vast back garden. Matching the colour of the bookshelf lined walls, it homed two large plump maroon sofas and a modest sized television.

"Very Gryffindor, Potter." Draco drawled, raising his eyebrows as he picked up a scarlet cushion decorated with little gold lions.

"What did you expect?" I sniped irritably, snatching the cushion out of his hand, and carefully placed it back on the sofa. "Snakes?"

Chuckling in amusement, his eyes wandered back round the room, and I noticed how he froze briefly as they landed upon the mantlepiece above the fireplace. Photos of Albus.

"He looks happy," he murmured quietly as he went over and inspected each one with great interest, his expression wistful.

"He was happy. He is happy." I corrected myself as I stepped up beside him, trying to ignore that familiar feeling of mourning I got every time I looked at old photos of my rapidly growing son.

Dragging his eyes away from a photo of me holding a one-day old Albus, he turned his head to look at me.

"Are you happy?"

I chewed my lip, pondering this question. No one had ever asked me that before and, up until that moment, I had never thought about it.

"It gets a bit lonely at times with Albus being at Hogwarts," I answered truthfully, shrugging my shoulders, "he's been the best thing that has ever happened to me. He's made me happy."

"I'm glad." He smiled softly at me, and then he reached out, brushing his fingers lightly against mine. I closed my eyes and released a soft, blissful sigh at his touch. My heart was pounding in my chest and my stomach knotted in a sudden, urgent longing.

"Etta," he breathed in my ear as his fingers continued caressing my hand. I could feel every hair on my body stand up, every part of me wanting him.

And then I remembered his wife.

My eyes flew open. "No, Draco. No." I hissed, snatching my hand back. "I will not be your other woman again."

Shock immediately flashed in Draco's eyes, his face falling.

"Etta, you have always been so much more to me than that, you must know," he implored, reaching again for my hand which I angrily pulled out of his grip.

"Stop it, your son is upstairs... sons; and you have a dying wife waiting for you back home. Go back to her, Draco. Go back to the woman you chose to be with."

"Etta, please-"

"You shouldn't have come; Scorpius could have arrived on his own - you have a driver. Why are you even here?"

"I wanted to see you, Etta."

Wrong fucking answer. If he had said Albus, that he wanted to see the son he had known about for an entire year, yet had still barely said a single word to, then I may have been more understanding.

"I can't have you in my life anymore, Draco - don't you understand?! Do you know how much pain I've been through because of you? How much hurt? I used to think the Cruciatus Curse was the worst pain anyone could suffer but it was nothing compared to the way I've been hurt by you. Nothing."

He flinched as though I had just slapped him.

Sounds of movement from upstairs caused both Draco and I to glance up at the ceiling.

"Go and say goodbye, Draco. Please." I begged as he looked back down at me, his grey eyes swimming sadly. He swallowed.

"I'll be back to pick him up in two weeks."

"No, just send your driver. Don't turn up here again unless you want to see your other son. Please."

"I'll be back, Etta," he said hotly, eyes boring into mine.

The door flew open, making me jump, but Draco did not even flinch, his gaze remaining fixedly upon me.

"Will you be alright?" he added quietly as the boys thundered into the room, barely even acknowledging us.

"I've got this really cool new game for my X-Box," Albus was saying animatedly as he started switching it on by the television.

"What's an X-Box?" Scorpius asked, bewildered.

Draco continued to look at me, clearly refusing to go anywhere until I reassured him of my answer.

"I'll be fine," I gritted, wishing he would just leave.

His features visibly relaxed, lips parting as a sigh passed between them. Offering me a brief nod, he turned to Scorpius.

"I'm off now, Scorp. Be good for Etta. Your mother and I will owl you later in the week."

"Yeah, bye Dad," Scorpius said, not even bothering to look up from the television where Albus was showing him his latest game.

Draco was about to turn to leave, then hesitated. He looked over to Albus as though he wanted to say something but seemed to struggle to do so. In the end he made do with a quiet, "Uh- goodbye, Albus."

Too quiet - Albus was busily engrossed in his X-Box to have heard.

"Albus," I said sharply, not being able to help but experience a small wave of pity at Draco's feeble attempts at 'bonding', "say goodbye, please."

"Oh - see ya, Mr Malfoy." Albus grunted without turning his head.

A faint smile tugged at Draco's lips and my heart filled with an unexpected warmth as our eyes met.

"I'll see myself out," he murmured, turning towards the door, "goodbye, Potter. I'll be seeing you."

The meaning of this last part was clear; he was coming back.

"Goodbye, Draco." I sighed, realising that arguing was pointless. It usually always was when it came to Draco Malfoy.

There was only one thing for it - I needed a plan and I needed one fast.

******