Hannah was having a relaxing afternoon at home for once. Kristen and James were currently at the bakery working. James had been pitching in more and talking back less since Mac had been hurt. Hannah was looking at a book that explained knitting and attempting it herself. Grace was in the floor near Hannah's feet playing with her dolls and Mister Bunny... and Winky. Hannah had offered to keep Grace. It was nothing to her. It gave Kristen and James a break. Especially since James was worse with Grace than Blaise tended to be. Also, it allowed Kristen to just work at the bakery which Hannah was discovering seemed to be an outlet for the young woman.

What was surprising was how Winky seemed to be drinking less butterbeer with Grace here. Hannah had told her she needed to watch out for Grace. With such an important job, Winky was feeling useful, like part of a family again. She took is seriously which meant there was less time for drinking.

Blaise had gone by the bakery for a chat with Hannah when Kristen told him she had Grace at home. Deciding to take off of work himself, he apparated home. The first step he took was unsteady because of something under his foot, and he just managed to catch himself on the edge of the piano.

"Son of a--"

"Blaise!" Hannah shouted.

He glowered and kicked the doll he had stepped on, trying to think of an innocent ending to his almost-swear. "--mouse."

Grace giggled. "You're so silly, Blaise. I like you."

Hannah grinned at him.

Winky went and retrieved the ragdoll. "Master is stepping on Miss Fancy Pants."

Blaise made a face at the house elf. "Well what is Miss Fancy Pants doing in the middle of the floor?" His eyes continued to look around. "In fact, what are all these plastic things in my floor?"

Grace giggled again. "They're my dollies, Blaise. Do you want to play with Winky and I?"

Hannah started laughing out loud at the sudden image she got of him sitting on the floor and brushing the dolls' hair.

He glared at Hannah. It seemed that everything regarding Grace and himself was humorous to everyone around them.

"I will pass on playing, thanks." He shook his head and pulled out the piano bench, turning to face Hannah. "Took a day off?"

"I did. I am trying to teach myself to knit."

His look said everything he thought about that.

Grace grabbed her bunny and skipped to where Blaise was sitting at the piano. "What are you doing?"

"We should talk about your birthday," Hannah said. "I don't feature Narcissa Malfoy throwing you a party this year."

"It's Blaise's birthday," Grace shouted.

She jumped up and down before touching her bunny to him.

"Bunny kisses. Happy birthday bunny kisses."

Blaise lurched back, grabbing the bunny and holding it away from his face.

"It is not my birthday just yet. It will be in a few weeks."

While Grace tried to wrestle the bunny out his hands, he addressed Hannah. "I'll be doing my own party, thanks. That was a near disaster, so no more surprise birthday parties."

"So what sort of cake would you like, and who are we inviting? Would you like me to prepare the food?"

She was pretending not to notice Blaise and Grace with the bunny. She really want to laugh though.

"Blaise, give it. Please don't hurt Mister Bunny."

"I promise Mister Bunny will escape relatively unscathed," he told Grace dryly.

Grace began pulling herself up into Blaise's lap to get at her bunny.

"So Pansy? Perhaps her gentleman. Draco and Ginny. Anyone else? Maybe Justin? Tonks?"

Blaise grunted when one of Grace's little knees when into his own thigh. Still, he held the bunny as high as he could. It reminded him of the time he took away Draco's favorite hairbrush when they were little and Draco hadn't been able to get it out of his grasp. He had thrown fit after fit but still Blaise wouldn't give it back. Until the little brat had glared and yelled for Narcissa. Blaise had promptly thrown the brush and ran.

"Pansy is a yes, but not McLaggen. They're having problems and he doesn't like me. Tonks is definitely welcome, but can we leave off her troll? I don't like him just yet. Besides that, just keep thinking of people."

"You are going to have to get used to Bishop at some point. I understand they are getting married." Hannah sighed. "What about Susan? And your assistant Jodie? I'd suggest everyone who works at Healing Hands, but I know you won't have Theo. What about Mac?"

Grace was standing on Blaise's legs and reaching for the bunny he was holding away. She made a whimpering sound. Hannah would let him figure out for himself that when she was away from the bunny too long she burst into tears. He had his other arm around Grace a bit, so Hannah was not concerned about her falling.

Grace had gotten a hold of a furry foot and more than once he had felt her lift off his legs when he pulled the stuffed animal higher. Blaise looked around the squirming little girl to continue his conversation with Hannah.

"Everyone at the bakery and clinic besides Nott, then. Anyone else?"

"You want to invite Angelina, Amy, and Owen? Not that we can't, but I wasn't aware you were friendly with them. What about Justin?"

Blaise made faces at the names. "Which one is from the bint who doused me with water and talked back to me? She's not invited. As for the other two, I don't know them. I don't want to scare them away by one of my parties. Finch-Fletchley is more than welcome if he promises not to ruin the mood by scowling so much."

"You telling someone not to scowl is a bit hypocritical, you realize."

Grace's eyes were filling up and she made a pitiful sound while reaching for the bunny. Hannah was not helping him if he made her cry. He could deal with it.

"Amy might enjoy it. I swear she is getting more strange every day."

Blaise was about to reply when Grace decided she was just not high up enough and started to climb on his stomach. He quickly gripped her middle and lifted her off of him and back down onto the floor, but she just climbed back up again. He still held the bunny out of reach.

"Then invite her. We can talk about it more once it gets closer. Although I don't know if I'd want them all here at the house. I like letting as few people in as I can."

"Well, we could have it at the bakery."

Grace started whinging and doing a little dance to get at the bunny. Her feet were dangerously close to squashing all hopes Hannah had of having Blaise's children.

Blaise rolled his eyes and grabbed her around the middle again, lifting her off of him and sitting her awkwardly beside him on the piano bench. He held the stuffed rabbit closer. "No more bunny kisses today, yes? I'd like to have a decent conversation without fur being shoved in my face. Deal?"

Grace sniffed. "Okay. I promise. Can I please have Mister Bunny?"

Hannah frowned. She sounded like she was going to cry. It bothered Hannah a great deal more than it should.

Blaise held it out and he let Grace take it without any protest from him. "Relatively unscathed, as promised."

Grace hugged her bunny to her then tried to crawl back into Blaise's lap, sniffling. Hannah was grinning again though. Blaise was not even paying attention as he let Grace settle into his lap. He was getting better at this, even after so short a time. Mainly because Grace would not let up on him. She adored Blaise.

"I still haven't heard anything from the ministry about... um, I think I shall owl Harry about it. The woman's been missing for over a week and no one's even been out."

Blaise was trying to think of any contacts he could ask. In the Ministry, his only ally was Tonks, but on the streets, which he doubted their mother had been taken to, he had more. He would try. He didn't even notice Grace grab one of his hands and play with one of his rings.

"I'll see if I can get in touch with Tonks, just to see if there's been a follow-up on the initial report. Other than that, I'm pretty much at a loss."

Hannah had to stamp down a sniffle. She wished she had a snap of this. He was doing so well. She felt guilty that a part of her was happy this had happened because Blaise was doing well. Nothing big had happened, and that would be the true test, but at least he didn't go scrub his skin off in the bath after Grace touched him anymore.

"Is it wrong that I am not in any hurry?"

Blaise was a bit confused at first, but almost felt bad because it was clear Hannah enjoyed coming home to entertain daily. Being alone in this house probably wasn't good for her.

"I don't think so, but as I am repeatedly told by my assistant, I'm not normal."

Hannah laughed then. She could not wait until the holidays when all the children would be in the house. Then she felt guilty. That would be assuming Kristen's mother did not return, but some of the things James had said led Hannah to believe the woman might have taken off with one of her boyfriends. That irritated Hannah. To be blessed with children and to leave them. She could never do such a thing.

Grace had fallen asleep in Blaise's lap.

"I think I needed to put her down for a nap."

At first he thought they were still talking about his assistant, but noticed where Hannah's eyes were focused. He followed her gaze and blanched at the site of a sleeping child cuddled into him.
"What the hell do I do? I don't want to wake her up!" he whispered.

Hannah snickered. "Either sit still then or carry her to the bedroom to put her down. It's not going to hurt you, you know. Children can sleep through lots of things if they are tired enough."

Blaise couldn't sit still on the piano bench much longer. It was comfortable, but he was scared of moving just in case he'd wake Grace up. He didn't even know how he'd carry her. One hand was behind her back, but the other was gripped tight--one of her own hands wrapped around his ring.

"You do it!"

"Calm down," Hannah said, snickering.

She grabbed one of Grace's ragdolls, a bigger one, and showed him how to gather her up. It was lovely teaching Blaise and going through this with him. Hannah was so touched by experiencing children and how to manage them with him.

"Like this. Be gentle. If you wake her, it's fine. She'll likely nod right back off."

I can't believe I'm doing this, he thought as he gently pulled his hand away from her grip and maneuvered her around until her head was laying on his shoulder and he could get a good grip around her back and under her bottom. He finally stood and debated handing her off to Hannah.

"Now can you do it? What if she wakes up and wants a story?"

"Then I suppose we'll have to tell her one, but nap time doesn't usually come with a story. That's bedtime."

Hannah walked towards the room she and Kristen slept in. Hannah didn't turn down the bed. She grabbed a blanket and motioned for Blaise to lay Grace on it. Winky had followed them. Blaise's face was a mask on concentration as he situated Grace. Then Hannah tucked the blanket around her and made sure the bunny was nestled in Grace's arms.

"Stay with Miss Grace," she told Winky. "She might be frightened if she wakes and no one is here."

Winky nodded.


Hannah took Blaise's arm and walked back to their rooms.

"That's it?" he asked, slightly surprised. Bedtime was such a huge fuss--who would tuck Grace in, what story to read, getting one more glass of warm milk--that this had been easy.

Frighteningly easy.

"Naps are different than bedtime because they aren't as long."

Hannah absently started picking up the dolls on the floor and putting them in the little plastic bin she had gotten for them.

"How are things at the clinic? I spoke with Mac."

"Finally winding down. Longbottom took Magpie back to the Three Broomsticks, and he's been owling over updates." Blaise snorted and sat back down on the piano bench, leaning back so his elbows rested on the key cover. "Talk about a fucked up relationship. He and Weasley are also on the outs. It's so stressful all day."

"Mac loves Neville even if she's yet to figure that out. You don't stand by someone like that if you only mildly care for them. You don't mention Theo," Hannah said delicately. "Does that mean you two are tolerating one another?"

Blaise snorted. "No. It means that Dorny interacts with him and I never speak to him, something I'm very grateful for. I still hate the prat."

"Hmmm. I still don't understand. He's perfectly civil when he come into the bakery."

"You know the reason behind all this is because we're Slytherins. We function differently, remember?"

His eyes kept darting to the doorway leading out into the hall. "How long do naps usually last?" He had never been home during the day or around her to know.

"She usually naps for about thirty minutes. Why?"

Blaise sighed. "I was thinking about going down to work on a potion, but I'll wait. Who knows what kind of fit she'll pitch if she wakes up and I'm in my lab." He noticed Hannah grinning at him. "What?"

"Nothing," Hannah said, smiling.

He probably would not appreciate being told that she suspected he liked Grace right back.

"Come here then."

Blaise made a face and walked to where she was. Hannah kissed him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. It seemed as if they hardly had any time to themselves anymore. By the time they both came home from work they were tired, and even more so when they fell into bed after getting their three guests situated for the night.

"I don't suppose there's any way you'd let me slip a bit of harmless dreamless sleep into some of Grace's milk so we can get more than two seconds together?" he murmured.

"No," Hannah said. "But she's asleep right now. We're alone. Winky is watching her. If you want me to yourself, we could hire a sitter for the weekend and go away. Didn't you tell me Draco kept a little girl whose... mother had gone missing... from Hogsmeade..." Hannah's eyes had gotten huge. "Oh gods, Blaise. What if..."

It had never connected in her head before now. Hannah would admit to being suspicious because of the Order, but a little paranoia never hurt anyone. It had never occurred to her that Mrs. Stewart migh be missing because of her bloodlines. Hadn't there been mention of a Liberi camp in Scotland? She would owl Moody. That's what she would do.

Hannah turned back to Blaise and tried to smile. It might not be connected. Then again, it might.

"Oh come on, Hannah," he said, slightly irritated that he wouldn't have a chance to have a nice intimate time with her. Instead they were talking about kidnappings. "Do you really think they're connected? I hate to tell you, but there are a lot of crimes that happen all around the world in wizarding villages."

"Martha is a Muggle. The child Draco kept, was her mother Muggleborn or a Muggle or a Muggle sympathizer?"

She was definitely thinking of the mention that there was a Liberi camp in Scotland somewhere.

"I don't know," he said, accepting their personal time was now to be taken up with things he didn't like to talk about. He hated taking sides, and talking about this was as good as. "Why don't you let the higher ups deal with the problem. Everything was reported, and I'm sure everyone's living happily ever after."

"There's someone I can owl. I meant it when I said I wouldn't be on the lines throwing hexes. Especially now, but I do worry."

Hannah kissed him again. She was responsible for people now. She would need to be careful what she did. Hannah wouldn't back down, but she was not about to go looking for trouble either.

"Ward the owl just in case. Just because you're not throwing them hexes doesn't mean they don't know you're helping the other side."

Now he was getting antsy. His fingers were itching for something to do, something else to concentrate on than this dismal conversation. Besides, if she was going to owl now, he didn't want to see what she wrote or who she sent it to.

"I think I'm going to go ahead and go down to the lab. I'll be back up in time for dinner later tonight."

"Hey," Hannah said grabbing his arm.

She gave him a lingering kiss.

"Why don't you and I book some adult time after the children are in bed tonight?"

Blaise kissed her again but pulled back with a smirk. "Trying to get my mind away from you doing something I don't like with sex. You're turning into a Slytherin."

"I am not," Hannah huffed. "I just happen to like having sex with you. Especially when you let me be on top, but if you don't want to..."

She started walking off.

The smirk never left Blaise's face as he followed her and grabbed her arm to turn around. Pulling her close, they shared another kiss. "Slytherins are also notorious for acting like they're mad and using reverse psychology to get what they want. Don't worry; I think it's sexy." He kissed her again before turning in the direction of his lab.

"I'll see you later!"

"Depend upon it," Hannah called.


{SUMMARY} Hannah and Blaise talk. Blaise is getting better at dealing with Grace and *gasp* might even like her a little. Not that he'd admit such a thing.