Blinding State of Affairs

Chapter Thirty-One

Hermione was furious! She had her arms folded as Charlie drove his truck. "I just don't understand it? You're going to raise some dead guy's baby? Have thought about that at all?" he snapped.

"Of course I have! I talked with Harry and Ginny. Regulus has all the paperwork together for me. It is going to be just fine," she spat and rubbed her damp brow.

"Sweets, I can understand you wanting to have a baby. I can even get that poppin' an egg in the cooker with some spice is better than a one-night stand. Darlin', you are taking on too much yourself. At least a living man would have the choice to step up and help you. Sirius Black is fucking dead. Like dead dead. On top of that, he was the worse example. A drinker. A smoker. A big deviant." Charlie finished and tapped his hand on the steering wheel.

Hermione glared at him. "I don't care. I am doing this Charlie. See this is why I haven't told your family anything and don't plan to until it's already done. I am having his baby. If this is the only shot that he will have a child, I am taking it." Hermione retorted sharply.

"Sweetheart, you aren't looking at the big picture. Who is going to want to be with a single mother with two kids? One is hard enough to handle as it is. I worry that you aren't following the natural way of things. Find a man, fall in love and then have his babies." His voice was soft as they pulled up the driveway.

"Go drop those off for me, would you? I suddenly have no desire to be in this truck with you," she growled as she was unbuckling.

"Hermione, if you are angry you know I am right," he responded and she sounded in annoyance.

"Just go, Charlie. I will figure out how to get to town later," she spat and climbed out of the truck.

The Weasley pulled out of the driveway and Hermione walked up to the entrance. She was still seething as she walked into the Malfoy's and glanced around.

"Master Malfoy and Lady Malfoy have young Master Lupin out in the garden," Ramsey declared as he was coming down the stairs.

"Thank you, Ramsey. It is nice to see you," Hermione declared, and the man's lips twitched.

"It is most pleasant to see you, Miss Granger," he told her.

Hermione walked through the hallway and zipped up her coat as she went toward the back door. When she went outside the sight was hilarity. Draco was stumbling around in the snow and listening for the boy who was hiding and throwing snowballs ever so often. The man would bend down and make a snowball, attempt to hear for the boy and toss it in that direction.

Narcissa was standing on the porch, watching the scene. "Good afternoon," Hermione softly spoke as she walked out.

The Malfoy matron glanced back and beamed. "Aren't they the sweetest?" she mused as Hermione stood next to her.

"They are. It is nice that Teddy had a good time," the young woman sighed.

Narcissa glanced over at her and her brow knitted. "You seem upset. Is everything alright?"

"Just a petty argument. Supposedly I am setting myself up for loneliness by having a child by a dead man," Hermione huffed, shaking her head. "I don't understand how that could be such a wrong thing."

Narcissa wrapped one of her arms around the young woman. "Well, some don't understand what you would do for those you love. Do you know why Sirius Black never wanted to be a father?"

Hermione shook her head. "Only that he felt he would screw up the child."

"That is one of the reasons I am sure. However, a bit of insight into my late cousin's past might help. Sirius was a strong-willed boy. We grew up not far from each other, and occasionally I would see the boy at parties. However, his mother had an ill temper for him. As if she could see the sweetness in his heart, and wanted to break him in like a horse. Regulus told me that she would beat them if they didn't act like noble gentlemen. Belts, switches, riding crops... you name it the woman was delighted to apply it." Narcissa paused and breathed heavily.