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While on a shift at St. Mungo's, Ron finds himself in the charge of an infant whom has been abandoned. He reluctantly decides to take the baby home until a more permanent situation can be determined but Draco seems to want to have none of it. Between You And Me universe. SLASH.

/…/

WARNING: This story will contain some SLASH, as it will be the main pairing. If this bothers, offends, or just grosses you out, you can save yourself a lot of pain and heartburn and just click the back button. Otherwise, stick around. I can only hope not to disappoint. HBP Spoilers, but just to be safe. Besides, go read it if you haven't :D. Just a one-shot, albeit a longer one. Written in the Between You And Me universe. Not required reading but explains a bit more back story wise.

/…/

Ron was instantly beginning to regret his decision to take on a couple of extra shifts while Draco was away in the States. He hated getting off and going to an empty home. It made him miss the blonde all that much more spending extra time in their shared space. It had certainly seemed like a good idea at the time but apparently with summer before them, Hogwarts students were getting themselves into trouble as was often the case. He'd spent too many hours already reversing curses and curing hexes.

He sank down into an armchair inside the lounge area, taking a break from the influx of patients that afternoon. The clock on the wall taunted him with the fact that he indeed had four more hours let in that wretched place. These were the times Ron considered leaving and doing something on his own outside of the enormous clinic. But they were simply empty threats. He knew full well he'd never leave.

It was on a lighter note that he considered that Draco would be back home in just a week's time. It was a highly anticipated arrival at that. The combination of his column in the Prophet and the bloody book had made him highly sought after for numerous things. On the top of the list had been a group of seminars hosted throughout the States over the war and all of the things Ron was surprised he was able to even speak of. Let alone in front of the some of the largest schools in the wizarding world, English or American aside.

A sigh was emitted as he knew he'd have to get back out there very shortly. If he could just keep as busy, it was hoped that his day would pass much quicker. It very well could've been a foolish thought but he was just foolish enough to test it out. He slipped back into his robes and left the lounge, wandering back to his floor.

He did a quick check in with one of the other mediwitches scurrying around that afternoon and was informed that they had a bit of a situation and that they had been looking for him frantically. He felt a little guilty having disappeared with no notice and sank back into healer mode as to give the attention that was lost.

She led him down towards the end of the hall where several witches had assembled inside a room, one hunched over what appeared to be a bassinette for a baby. As he entered the group, there was room made for him as he came face to face with a baby, no older than a few months, flailing against the confines of its bed. The witch which had been bent over the poor thing gave him a nervous look before beginning.

"Some one just dropped the poor thing off. She's been wailing like that since they brought her in here. No clue about parents but we think it's some sort of hex," She quickly caught him up, settling back behind him while Ron went about beginning a few tests to check to see if she had in fact been cursed.

From preliminary tests, he was certain that with the amount of magic surrounding her that there was something out of the ordinary that was occurring before him. A brow furrowed as he kept a pained expression on his face contemplating what could be happening. It seemed that slowly the poor thing was beginning to lose energy which was a symptom of quite a few hexes out there, old and new. No, this was completely different than anything he had ever seen. He couldn't shake the idea that it very possibly was the child's own parents which had dealt her this horrible pain.

"Were there any of signs of a hex when you first brought her in?" Ron questioned, tapping his wand nervously against the edge of the cradle.

"Nothing other than the screaming. And they tried everything they could think of to soothe her but nothing has worked. She won't eat, she's dry, and she certainly won't sleep," The woman offered which helped Ron not a bit.

He leaned down over the child and despite her fussing, lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his shoulder. Her screams intensified as she was held which caused Ron to pull her back a little and keep a slight distance. With a brief thought, he set her back down, her crying not shifting and bit and stepped back.

"I don't think that she's able to be touched by human contact. I think it's draining her losing energy through it," Ron was of course hypothesizing out loud and crossed the room and removed two rubber gloves from a box. Slipping them on, he returned to the infant and took a deep breath before leaning down and picking her up again.

Her tears and screams continued at first but as her skin met no other and no one was fussing with her, she found himself calming down to nothing less than a small whimper. Ron took this opportunity and cradled her against himself, hoping to offer what comfort he could. And finally, with Ron's slight unconscious humming and the contact of another person that wasn't draining her, the room filled with silence.

The witch whom had appeared to be going more than a little insane over the entire incident, gave a relieved sigh. She moved to get gloves on herself and went back to help Ron, taking the child from him a moment so he could document everything.

"I'll get into researching a cure," Ron began but the nurse cut him off.

"It won't be necessary, she'll have to be transferred out of here to child services," She informed him, sitting herself down into a chair, the room beginning to empty and no longer attracting such attention. She offered a bottle up to infant as Ron stared hard at her.

"But what if they don't know what they are doing?"

"This is just policy here. Besides, it isn't as though they can't research it there. Just make sure it's all in the file and I got in touch with someone. Something as young as this one, she'll get adopted up right quick," She cooed at the baby.

Ron stared down at the file before him, his quill coming to an abrupt stop. What if they couldn't figure it out? What if she wasn't placed with anyone before no one wanted to deal with the stress? All of these thoughts bothered him immensely.

"What if someone wants to do like a temporary adoption until she gets better and there is already a placement option?"

"You aren't suggesting taking this on yourself?" She questioned him, clearly knowing his story well. She was skeptical and Ron couldn't really blame her but it didn't stop him from giving her an agitated look.

"I could do this. I have a lot of time on my hands. She needs someone who has just that right now."

"With all do respect, sir, it might just be best to let the professionals handle this," She persisted which was beginning to wear on Ron. He did not like to be battled on an issue. Especially one with a witch who was simply judging him on things she'd heard or read somewhere.

"No, I think I'm going to. My shift ends in a few hours. See what paperwork you can get drawn up so that I can just take her with me," Ron gave his orders easily, shutting up the folder, making notation of his plans, and then left the room to check back in.

He paused a moment outside the door and considered what he'd just gotten himself into. For the life of him he could not imagine what one must be thinking to inflict something like that upon such a young child. They certainly could not have been found at fault in anything as she was clearly not at a level where she did much other than lie around and require constant care. It was just unthinkable that someone could harm their own child in such a manner. He'd wanted a family as long as he could remember and especially now that it wasn't to be a reality, he couldn't imagine jeopardizing that for anything.

Sure, he had an expansive number of nieces and nephews but it just wasn't the same when you were forced to care a child all on your own and he knew it. This was not even giving thought to Draco who would soon return home. Still, he couldn't imagine her lying in a crib somewhere just becoming another number and he didn't know why. But he knew that she needed him. He could feel it when he'd cradled her against his body just minutes before. He would blame it on Gryffindor haste and acting without thinking later. Right then he had to send an owl and get his mind back on track. In a few hours, things were going to be a completely different game.

/…/

His owl was directed specifically at his mother whom was in a right flurry when he entered the Burrow, tossing things carelessly onto the floor as she dug through an old closet that seemed much larger on the inside than it was out. She hadn't heard fire roar for that moment that it took for Ron to step from it, cradled a bundle of blankets with him. It wasn't until he called out did he even realize where she was. Near the huge pile of rapidly accumulating miscellaneous baby items.

"Oh Ron, you're here!" She called from what sounded like the back of the closet. "I got your owl a little late and I'm still trying to dig some stuff out. Are you going to fully explain to me now?" She finished her statement and question by stepping out of the closet, dusting herself off. Her expression softened as she spied the bundle.

"Someone left a baby at work today. She's been cursed it seems. I'm not sure with what yet but she can't be touched," He warned before his mother could reached out herself or even comment on the gloves that were worn around Ron's own hands.

"That's absolutely horrible. Who would do such a thing to such a precious little baby," She stilled managed to moon over the child, peeking around and meeting the serene face hidden before behind screams.

"It was either take her with me or let the Ministry deal with her and I figured I could handle it until we've cured her," Ron continued on, digging into his pocket to reveal a box of gloves, offering it up to his mother.

She took the hint and dug two out for herself, taking the baby off Ron's hands soon after. "Ron, are you sure this is a good idea? It's not like babysitting," She began warning, though finding herself easily smitten with the child.

"I know it isn't but I couldn't just leave her. A normal person doesn't want to take on the stress of taking in a baby they can't touch."

"What did Draco say about all of this?" She asked, finally looking up at her son from the baby.

"Well…" Ron tried to avert his gaze but he could feel his mother staring at him hard.

"You didn't tell him yet? Ron! Why would you do something so drastic without consenting with him. He's going to be very cross with you and rightfully so," She laid into him, rocking the baby silently as she stirred from the escalating voices.

"Mum, I know. I'll deal with Draco. Besides, hopefully we'll have this antidote in the next day or so and then I can hand her over properly," He explained fully but his mother still shook her head.

"She's absolutely adorable. I don't think I'd have been able to leave her there either," Molly continued this time, voice lightened towards the child.

"I'm glad you've said that because I have a favor. I took on some extra shifts at work and though I rigged up some vacation, I have to be in tomorrow for an early shift and I needed you to baby-sit," Ron questioned his mother sweetly, smile latched onto his face.

"Oh Ronald. I'll keep the child tomorrow but you're going to have to do so the rest of the week. I'm getting to old for an infant," She told him in a somewhat defeated tone.

"Nonsense, you can still strike fear into the hearts of the young like always," He smirked at her to which he received a glare. "Did you find a crib?"

"Several. Sometimes I forget how many of us there actually are. You can take one but make sure something is left here for tomorrow morning, yeah?" She started as he began looking through stuff.

Taking his wand out, he muttered quick shrinking spells upon a crib. He also managed to find a few toys that he thought might be of some sort of entertainment to the baby. And not too surprisingly he found a memento of his own childhood. A brown stuffed teddy bear with a faded red ribbon around it's neck, a clear tear along one arm. With a fond smile, he lifted his wand and performed a quick stitching spell as well as a cleaning spell on the bear. It soon stared back at him as fondly as he looked upon it.

He soon returned back to his mother and the baby, depositing his box of gloves once more and moving to take the child back. "I'll be over in the morning. I have to run out to the store still so I'll bring over formula and bottles then," He informed her. She gave a nod, giving a final glance a the child before they both stepped into the floo.

Once home, things seemed instantly a lot more difficult. He set the child down momentarily so that he could take out the crib and resize it. Moving it to the side of the small living room, he placed her down onto the mattress and placed the old teddy bear along side her. Giving a glance at her a moment, smiling warming his face, he moved into the kitchen to check the post. He was not a bit surprised to find the first piece of mail to be from Draco.

His smile widening, he opened the lettered, settling into a kitchen chair to read it over. It was the general things. America was horrible but he was found to be wildly popular so that made up for it. The book was doing well. He missed Ron like crazy which he was always told not to repeat. And then at the bottom, in hurried print that Ron could easily mistake as excited, wrote the words that Ron knew would get him into a lot more trouble that he was prepared for. The tour it seemed had ended earlier and the very next evening he was to expect the blonde back home for good. Ron's eyes barely glanced over the mushy things that ended the letters that he usually so enjoyed. Instead, he let it rest upon the table with a sigh.

Eyes glancing to the clock, he knew that it was getting late and that the baby would want food soon. He'd have to deal with Draco when the time came. Merlin knew he wasn't close to prepared for that just yet. Instead, he lost his robes and went into the living room to remove the child before heading off to the store to stock up for the next few days at least.

Ron felt like an utter moron when he'd returned back from the store over an hour later. He'd babysat a million times for one sibling or the other but he had absolutely no clue as to what to buy. He just knew what was given to him for the afternoon. Choosing had been a much more difficult thing to do. He'd stood in the formula aisle for a thirty minutes looking over all of the choices. He'd never had to deal with this as the case was that most witches just breastfed. It was supposed to be more beneficial for the child to receive more magic from the mother as it developed. As it were, this was not possible for Ron. And he finally, after reading countless labels, found one that would suit their tastes just fine. Infused with traces of magic so that the child would not be lacking should the mother choose not to breastfeed.

Diapers were another struggle as he dug through them to find one that he thought would fit the small infant. She hadn't exactly appreciated Ron lifting her out and holding her near to the babies on the container nor had people passing as she began screaming. Ron immediately pulled her close and set people apologetic looks before just grabbing them.

So he returned home eighty minutes later and with a considerable dip in their weekly galleons. After all, it wasn't like he had time to prepare for this. And to be fair, it wasn't like they were hurting for money. As cheap as he often found himself being. Though he had to be with the way Draco spent money.

After changing the diaper the baby worn, he settled her down into the crib, pulling a blanket up over her and flipping the light off, moving into the kitchen to sit down with a strong cup of coffee. The next few days were certainly going to be interesting to say the least. Finishing off his drink, he moved upstairs simply to drag his comforter downstairs, taking a nice place up on the couch should she need him during the night.

/…/

It wasn't too much later that Ron had returned to their flat, child in tow, that Draco had apparated home. The blonde hadn't given a look around to anything other than Ron as he flung himself into the arms of his redheaded lover. And Ron gave in, pulling Draco close against him, reveling in just being able to touch him. It had been much too long. He felt the growing need to take Draco right there upon the table but knew that other things needed to be discussed that evening.

"Oh Merlin, I've missed you," Draco's voice muttered into his neck, sounding thoroughly exhausted but clearly laced with content.

"I've missed you too. It's been miserable. No more book tours, ever," Ron responded, sinking his hands into Draco's hair, pulling his face back a moment so that he could see that Ron was something like seriously.

"Never. Not unless you consent to me taking you off to exotic places and finding many places to having my way with you," Draco smirked at the statement, pulling back a little, not wanting to smother Ron after just being back with him.

"America isn't really exotic."

"No, but we could always pretend, love. Honestly. Where's the imagination?" Draco questioned, moving towards a cabinet to get himself a cup and indulge himself in some actual tea.

Ron gave a nervous laugh before biting hard on his lip and beginning. "There was an interesting case at work while you were gone that I didn't get to tell you about," Ron began and Draco only briefly turned to stare at him.

"Oh?"

"Yeah it seems that…" And just as the words began to leave his mouth, the child in the other room made her presence very known as she began wailing. Ron knew she was probably getting hungry.

"Are you babysitting? Again?" Draco questioned, halting himself from the tea making. He knew little to nothing about children but he knew that it sounded young and therefore a hassle. He didn't hate kids he just didn't enjoy being saddled with them whenever one of the Weasley's needed a break which seemed much too often for his tastes.

"Not exactly babysitting per say."

"What does that mean?" Draco asked him attempting to stay calm.

"It means that there was this baby at St. Mungo's that I brought home to take care of until she's better," Ron got out all at once, sheepishly staring back at the blonde.

Draco set his cup upon the counter harshly. "You mean to tell me that you've decided to bring a baby home to live with us and you didn't even tell me. That you've adopted some stray for us take of."

"She's not some stray and I didn't adopt her. Her parents cursed her and left her at the hospital. I'm looking after her until the curse has been lifted."

"I don't bloody well care what the circumstance. You've could've owled. I'll see you tomorrow, by the way, I brought home a kid," The blonde continued on, shaking his head as he started pacing. The crying from the other room wasn't helping. Nor was opening the refrigerator to continue his much needed tea and finding formula littering the shelves. He slammed the door shut and walked out of the room and upstairs, the sound a door slamming resonating through the flat.

Ron grimaced a the sound and rather than argue it out with the blonde just yet, he went into the living room and scooped the small child up, cradling her as he began the work of making a bottle. As the bottle heated, he resumed Draco's tea making as well, pouring a cup just as he moved into the living room, bottle in hand. He held onto the child easily against one arm, the other hand helping to hold the bottle. She definitely seemed under developed for her age as per neglect her assumed. But something else struck Ron about her. She didn't seem like she really needed him. She'd eat when fed but then got squirmy and Ron would have to put her down. She was a terror to change and the bath she'd had earlier had been a wreck as well. It was almost as though she didn't want to depend on him. Or probably anyone for that matter. It painfully reminded him of brooding blonde upstairs.

When the bottle was sucked dry, he burped and then placed the baby back into her crib. Reheating the tea, he then found himself with his biggest obstacle that evening. He knocked slightly on the door which seemed so foolish as it was his bedroom. Draco said nothing but he opened it anyway, offering the tea up as a peace offering.

The blonde took it but didn't speak leaving Ron to sit at the end of the bed by himself. The redhead tore over different things to say in his mind, finding it coming up completely blank. He wasn't quite sure what it was he should say. During this, Draco sipped his tea thoughtfully. It shouldn't surprise. Despite being very hotheaded, Ron also had a huge heart. And not that Draco agreed with what was going on in his own home, he knew that Ron never would've taken the child if he didn't think he had a valid reason. Key being him thinking which was where the trouble began.

"I'm still very cross with you," Draco commented, setting his tea down upon his nightstand.

"I know. I deserve it," Ron replied, finally turning to meet the gaze that had been peering into his back.

"You do indeed. But I'm not going to argue with you. You take care of the child. I want nothing to do with it. This is your little project, not mine," Draco continued. Ron just nodded along with the blondes words, feeling a slight tinge in his stomach at the words. "But this does not mean I don't full intend on taking advantage of the fact that we're on the same continent so we can have angry sex. It's been a while."

"We had angry sex right before you left because I wouldn't just quit my job and go with you," Ron rebutted against him with a slight grin.

"Well a month is a while for us," Draco corrected him with a smirk.

"Month or not, I can't. I have to sleep downstairs. In case the baby needs something."

"You mean to tell me that it's my first night home and there will be absolutely no buggering going on in this bed?"

"Or anywhere else in the house. I don't want to scare her and neither of us can deny that you're anything close to quiet," Ron taunted a little, standing up from the bed now.

"Can't you at least sleep up here?" Draco questioned, eyes glimmering mischievously. He knew full well that getting Ron simply into bed would play right into his hand.

"But what if I don't hear the baby?"

"I'll put up a spell and you'll hear her all the way up here," He explained, slightly frustrated again the child was keeping him from doing many things he enjoyed.

"You're certain?"

"Bloody hell! Of course I'm certain."

"Well ok then, just as long as I'll hear her if she needs me."

"What's her name anyway?" Draco questioned, noticing he hadn't once heard it mentioned.

"She doesn't have one. I didn't feel it would be my place to name her."

"And why not? No one else is taking care of her. You can't very well call her baby all of the time."

"I just don't want to get attached is all. It probably won't be long before she's out of here anyway. Hermione's looking for a counter and I'm going to spend tomorrow doing the same," Ron explained a little, undoing a button at the top of his white shirt.

Draco just made a slight noise to show that he heard and settled into thought a moment. He let the entire situation wash over him as he set about getting ready for bed, sinking into the covers on his side of the bed, Ron following shortly after. Though still angry, he moved himself over towards the middle of the bed, moving himself into an embrace from the redhead. Neither spoke but instead let sleep find them together for the first time in over a month.

/…/

Draco flipped over in bed, rustling the sheets slightly, trying hard not to wake the slumbering redhead. His fatigue was evident by the growing dark circles under his eyes and the fact that he walked around like a zombie when he was actually awake. It was more frustrating that he wasn't actually working the pat few days. Simply taking care of the child and researching when he wasn't doing that. Draco had planned on staying home a week or so following returning but with all of the noise around the house, he'd opted to go back which left Ron to do everything on his own.

At first Draco hadn't felt bad at all. It served him right make such an important decision without consulting him. They were a couple after all and it was their flat. Draco had a sneaking suspicion he might not have been able to deny it to Ron anyway. It was just the principal of the things. He started to feel a little worse as at nights, the redhead would saunter into bed, place a sloppy kiss on his lips and fall off to sleep before being woken up only hours later for more.

This was why as a faint sob began to fill the room, Draco quickly silenced it and with a look at the redhead, deep in sleep, crept down the stairs to the living room where the hungry infant lay. He looked in on the child before entering the kitchen and beginning to bottle for her. He felt slightly angry with himself but pushed it away. This was certainly better than having Ron stumble down the stairs when he was hard pressed for sleep as it were. Tested the temperature of the milk upon his wrist, as he'd seen Ron do a hundred times, he went back into the living room, carefully slipping on gloves and settled into their rocking chair, baby in one hand, bottle in the other.

The infant at first seemed confused. She had clearly adjusted to Ron and while not denying Draco as he offered food, she seemed almost skeptical of him, if that was at all possible. She took the bottle though, eyes dozing sleepily but keeping locked upon Draco when opened. The blonde forced himself to look away, concentrating instead on the soft rocking motion as he shifted in the chair.

"Aren't you just the most suspicious thing? You know, I don't like to share one bit and you've most definitely been taking all of Ron's time. Before you all he did was shower me with attention but now it's all about the poor baby," Draco began talking, feeling a little foolish but not stopping. He finally looked down at the baby. "It isn't as though I don't care, I just know that after this experience, he's going to want a family, isn't he? He's going to grow attached to you and want me to adopt a child with him. Fifty children probably. But let's face it, we aren't the most stable of couples but I love him. And I'd probably give in," Draco continued on, the baby's eyes focusing curiously upon the blonde as though understanding everything he said.

"I just can't help but worry. Ron would have no problems. It's in his blood or something. He'd know how to do it all and he'd be wonderful at it. But I…well let's just say I didn't really get much opportunity to learn some things and I know that I just couldn't handle it. It'd be like my father all over again. I couldn't do that," He was rambling on but the child didn't seem to care. Draco voice seemed to almost calm her as her eyes slid shut, the only other sound than Draco's voice was the faint sucking upon the bottle. "Maybe I could do it, yeah? I mean I know all of the things not to do. And I've had mini training with those horrible Weasley children always running about. I mean I certainly could have one of my own, couldn't I? Could I? Oh you don't know. You just know that I'm here holding this bottle and rambling on to you."

"You know it's very strange to be having you live here without a name. I know Ron doesn't want to name you but that is just peculiar. I mean you are a person and you should have a name. Not baby. That sounds ridiculous. You need a good name too. Nothing stupid either. There just seems to be something about you. Like you're smarter than we all know," Draco thought for a long while, slightly rocking off, soothing the baby in the process. Finally he sat up straighter in the chair, feeling mighty proud of himself. "I think you'd make a wonderful Isabella," He announced to the child who didn't have a care either way. "Yes, I think I rather like that. Isabella."

A bit of a smile settled over Draco's lips as he let his eyes drift along with hers, continuing to rock until the bottle became empty. He lifted her up against his shoulder and patted lightly against her back. Moments later a burp was emitted but rather than quickly deposit her, he continued to rock, keeping her cradled against him. The pair of them dozed lightly, chair only rocking ever so slightly. Finally, despite the comfort, Draco stood and laid her back to rest in her crib, pulling blankets up.

"Good night, Isabella," The blonde concluded, letting a gloved hand trail softly across her cheek. He couldn't get the smile off of his face so he hoped the darkness shielded him as he began to start back upstairs.

Draco entered the bedroom and paid no mind to Ron whom still appeared to be deep in sleep. He took the rubber gloves off of his hands letting them rest upon his nightstand before settling down into bed. As he settled into sleep, Ron's eyes fluttered open momentarily showing distinctly that's he'd been anything but asleep. And given the things that were fluttering around in his head, it might be a while before he was.

/…/

"I promise you, Hermione. It was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen," Ron explained to his bulging best friend as she found herself pouring through the books set out on the table before them.

"It certainly sounds like it. Who'd have pictured Draco for such a sap," She commented fondly, patting her own growing stomach lightly. It found that Ron wasn't the only one dealing with baby troubles. Hermione was finding herself getting painfully close to her impending due date. And despite Ron's feelings towards Snape, he hadn't remembered seeing her look so incredibly happy and radiant.

"And in honesty, I've thought about it before. I mean I always wanted a family, you know that. But I just didn't think that it was ever going to happen for us. Draco seemed so adamant about it. I just don't know what to think."

"Have you talked to him about it?" She questioned, giving a glance over at the crib containing the child which has caused such a stir.

"No. I didn't mention it. He didn't seem to want me to know and I didn't want him to get the wrong idea about things. I don't know," Ron's voice was clearly exhausted. From this stress and the strain that the baby was beginning to have on him. Though strangely to his credit, Draco found himself riding each night and going down to look after Isabella, a name which Ron found he was very fond of as well.

"You should talk to him. From the sounds of it, he might not need too much convincing should you honestly be considering a family," Hermione offered to him and Ron settled back into his seat and silence as he went through his book.

He did want it and he knew it. He wanted to feel depended upon. To feel like he held such a purpose in someone's life. He wanted to get to go Christmas shopping and to celebrate the birthdays and to watch them go off to Hogwarts. He wanted it. And he knew more than anything else that he wanted it with Draco.

"You aren't going to give your opinion freely?" Ron chimed in having given the witch sufficient time to voice what she thought on the matte honestly.

"About what? You having a baby?" She questioned him, setting her book down completely.

"Not having but adopting, yes."

"I think that it doesn't matter what I say to you. You can never be certain about things like parenthood until you're staring it down head on. Which in some, sense you are now. What I'm saying is that my advice won't help. You have to look at how you feel about things right now as you're dealing with Isabella and follow your instincts," Hermione explained out for him as she often found herself doing.

"I know that I would like to have a family with Draco. Unorthodox, yes but I think that we could do it and I think that we both want to do it," Ron's voice came out much stronger than he'd have imagined and it made him feel better about the situation.

"Then you have your answer, Ron. Talk to Draco." That was the final word on the matter as Hermione moved back into her book. Ron stood from his seat and went to retrieve the baby, feeling much more than anxious.

Without realizing it, Ron found himself humming a tune that he could vaguely recall hearing when he was younger. In his mother's sweet yet off key voice when him or Ginny wouldn't lay do for sleep properly. The tune vibrated softly in the back of his throat as he cradled the little girl against him, moving ever so slightly. As Ron got a bit more out of it, he spun a little bit, turning his back on the witch whom was still researching.

"Merlin! I think I found something!" Hermione exclaimed halting the humming and forcing Ron to turn quickly to meet her gaze. "It's a counter curse. It seems easy enough. It's really old magic it would seem. Not something that you find around too much anymore. Lucky that blonde of yours had such an impressive library," Hermione continued, eyes never leaving the page for a moment.

Ron, with a nervous stare moved towards the table, keeping the baby tight in his arms. He peered slightly over Hermione's shoulder as she continued to read just to be certain. Finally, with a satisfied noise escaping, she gave a nod. That was it. It had to be. They'd found no traces anywhere else and it seemed to describe the situation to a point. He knew he should've been as excited the very pregnant witch before him but something in the pit of his stomach felt wrong.

"Ron, what's wrong?" She questioned, a confused look on her face.

"Nothing. Can you do the magic or should I?" He asked, pushing everything else aside. This had always been about curing the baby. Nothing more. Everything else had been extra and that was what was hurting him the most.

"I don't know. I'm not as strong as I normally am and my magic can be a little eccentric. You had better do it to be safe," She offered, finding herself a pair of gloves and offering to take the child from Ron so that he could attempt the spell.

With a light sigh, he handed the child over, pulling his wand from his pocket. Studying the incantation over a few times, he pointed his wand at the child and let the words flow from his lips, voice slightly uneasy. The baby instantly left off a yelp and launched into a series of piercing screams as it seemed the magic affected her. Ron laid his wand down on the table and took the baby from Hermione. Uneasily, he pulled one glove off, bringing his hand up to sweep across one of her tiny arms. His breath caught in his chest as it seemed that the contact hadn't caused anything to be worse at all. In fact, the child seemed to cease her fit momentarily as the sensation had a different feel now that the pain was removed.

"That's it, Ron. We found it. Isabella's cured!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly, pulling the gloves off of her hands, taking the baby from Ron so he could do the same. She didn't seem to notice how much the redhead's face had fallen by this point.

"What's going on here?" The voice caused both of them to jolt around hurriedly to seem whom had supplied it. Draco seemed more a little confused as he pondered what had slipped easily from Hermione's mouth and the stare that Ron had fixed upon him.

"We found the counter curse," Ron began letting it all swim into his head that there would also soon be the explanation he didn't know how to give. He easily could've told the blonde that he had heard him that evening. He could've talked out the misgivings that Draco had about everything. In complete honesty, Ron was just too afraid. He didn't want to hear that there was a good possibility that Draco would never be able to handle it. That they would never get the chance.

"Isabella. Where did you come up with that?" Draco rounded on the redhead easily. It had been what had perked his attentions first. He asked the question in an indirect manner, clearly knowing the truth before Ron would lay it out before him.

"I'd gone downstairs to check on the baby and see where you'd gotten off to. And you were sitting down there with her," Ron explained to the blonde without too much emotion. He wasn't so much worried about this situation. It was the fact that the child would now be healthy enough to be transferred over to the ministry.

"Yes well you've looked tired lately and I thought I'd help. Why didn't you tell me?" Draco questioned him, sensing that there was something else going on right then. And even more so that he didn't think he'd like it.

"You didn't seem to want me to know and I didn't want to pry," He offered in honesty to the blonde, eyes never leaving the baby which Hermione still held.

"You removed the curse?" Draco questioned, taking steps towards Hermione and the baby. Ron nodded a little as Draco let a hand drift over the child's face. The whining that she'd continued doing subsided and at the new attention, launched into wails when it disappeared. Draco gave a look between the two adults before taking the baby from Hermione's arms. It was as if Draco possessed some sort of gift for the baby calmed herself down almost immediately, big eyes staring up at Draco. Ron couldn't look away.

"Well I'm going to go. I need to get home. Severus is probably waiting for me anyway and I can see that the two of you need to be alone," Hermione knowing that all of the things she had just said to them were more than likely falling upon deaf ears. The pair seemed to have settled away simply to their thoughts and paid no mind even as the witch flooed out.

Ron shifted uneasily upon his own two feet which was very unsettling. He couldn't quite explain how he was feeling at that moment. He felt relieved that he knew the child wouldn't have to endure any pain like she'd been cursed with before. He knew that it meant that she could find a good home with people who would take care of her. He also knew that her home could be there. He found his thoughts consistently stuck upon this point. They could keep her. He highly doubted they would be denied should they petition. There was just one obstacle in the way.

"Draco, I can't give her back," Ron suddenly choked out, eyes staring painfully at the blonde.

"What are you talking about? She was always meant to go back. This was supposed to be a temporary thing."

"But I don't want it to be. I could do this. We could do this. You could do this. You said yourself you could. Why not with her?" Ron couldn't understand why his voice had escalated so much. Draco frowned and laid the baby down into her crib which did not make the child happy at all.

"I said all of those things but that didn't mean that I wanted to do that right now. I'm worried. I could very easily mess up. I couldn't stand myself if I did that. To you. To her," Draco didn't look at the redhead or Isabella who was crying angrily.

"But if you didn't. You aren't your father, Draco. You could do this. She could be ours," Ron was almost pleading with him as he moved, hand reaching for the blondes.

"No. She has to go back," Draco's voice was devoid of emotion it seemed and without another word between them, the blonde had retreated from the flat leaving Ron and Isabella feeling much worse than before.

/…/

Ron tried not to be bothered by the fact that it had been very late that evening when Draco had finally come home. It didn't matter to him. He'd taken his position back up on the couch. Insides swarming with a mixture of anger and hurt. The blonde had lingered slightly near him and then another second by the crib before slinking upstairs.

Ron rolled flat onto his back and gave a heavy sigh. He knew that he fought with the blonde quite often. It was something that had never left them from their Hogwarts days. It was always Ron was inconsiderate staying late at work and not letting Draco know. Or Draco had no concept of what a budget was. The blonde had taken a considerable dip in his assets when his father was captured. Several bank accounts were frozen and seized due to the manner in which they were acquired. It didn't leave the blonde helpless but he certainly couldn't throw money around like he often liked.

But all of that aside, there wasn't a day that went by that he regretted his initial decisions years before to be with the blonde. Ron knew he would go to the end of the earth and back for Draco and beneath the sarcasm, he knew Draco would do the same. He could not begin to fathom a single con as to why they couldn't handle the next challenge thrown at them.

Draco had seemed so certain though. Was it all fear? Ron wasn't sure. And if it were, was it simply his fear that he would grow up to be the only thing he'd known for many years? Ron's head filled with so many doubts and worries that he knew sleep would not find him easily that evening. What if Draco was afraid that they weren't going to make it and he didn't want to make things harder? Surely he was as serious as Ron knew he was about them. And even though he knew that he was, it couldn't shake those thoughts.

Giving in, he stood, stretching his legs out before him and stood along the side of the crib. Isabella had fallen into an easy sleep. It was the most peaceful Ron had seen her. Aside from when she'd cuddled up in Draco's arms, oblivious to what was happening around her. And no matter what the blonde would ever say to him, Ron had seen the same look of adoration seeping from his gray eyes.

"I thought you were asleep," Draco's voice was soft as he stood still upon the bottom of the stairs. He'd changed into pajamas before coming back down, eyes still refusing to meet Ron.

"I couldn't sleep. I had a lot on my mind," Ron tried to sound as angry as he could but it could not cover how hurt his voice sounded.

"I know. I think we should talk."

Ron's eyes flew quickly to the blonde who still wouldn't look up. Those words were almost like poison to his ears. Draco let them linger a moment before he slipped off of the landing and moved into the kitchen. Ron paused nervously, stomach churning before following.

Draco went about the process of making two cups of tea while Ron sank down into a chair at their kitchen table. Neither spoke for the long period of time until a small glass was pushed before both of them and they were forced to make some sort of contact.

"I'm sorry I left earlier," Draco said suddenly, holding the cup in his hands, not intending to drink but simply busy himself.

"I'm sorry I put you on the spot like that," Ron offered as well, wondering inwardly why he only half meant that.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say to you. I never really thought that you and I would be faced with a situation like this."

"Draco, I always wanted a family. And I thought pretty much the same thing. It just didn't seem like an option. But now it is and I just don't think I can pass up that opportunity," Ron answered him in honesty, bringing his cup to his lips. The blonde stared hard at him for a long moment.

"I just don't know if I can do what you're asking."

"Why? I need to understand why because I've seen the two of you together. I've seen how you look at her, Draco. And I don't care what you sit here and tell me. I know you're worried. I am too. I'm scared out of my mind. Mostly because I never thought I could grow to love something as much as I love you," Ron stood from the table abruptly, feeling that sitting any longer would be much too hard for him.

"I'm beyond worried. Everything changes. Every screw up affects not only both of us but her as well. And let's be honest, we have our fair share of screw ups," Draco reasoned at him.

"We're not perfect and no one is. We both know that. And we've dealt with a lot but we've learned a lot from it. We've got more stability than you're giving us credit for," Ron continued, kneeling down on the ground before the blonde. Draco kept his gaze averted.

"I don't know."

Ron lifted a hand and moved Draco's face in his direction. "But I do. I want us to have a family. I want us to be happy," his voice spoke on so incredibly sure that it caused Draco to visibly falter. Their eyes locked and held for a very long moment. Gray still so unsure but blue doing their best to convince otherwise. Draco broke the gaze and the silence.

"Let's do this," the words fell from his mouth nervous as his eyes returned to Ron. The redhead's face lit up immediately and he leaned up, capturing Draco's mouth and kissing him firmly, hands moving upon either side of his face.

"Let's do this," Ron repeated as he pulled back, still holding the blonde's face between his hands.

/…/

"You're being bloody ridiculous. That color is horrible."

"It's not. It's very warm and inviting."

"It's nauseating. It reminds too much of that horrible scarlet color I had to see waving around everywhere back at Hogwarts and I could certainly do without it," Draco offered in contrast to the redheads statement.

"What the reminder that Gryffindor bested you time and time again?"

"That and that stupid smug grin you're wearing right now just like before," Draco sneered at the end but in a less threatening manner than he might have before.

"What would you have us paint it? Some horrible green color? You're not instilling any sort of Slytherin pride in our daughter thank you," Ron countered on him, motioning towards the baby which was held close in Draco's arms as Ron tore through paint samples.

"I wasn't suggesting painting the room green but I do not appreciate the implications about my former house. I was thinking maybe a light blue or yellow," Draco continued, one hand rifling through the paint swatches on the table. "How about this?" he questioned lifting one thin sheet which held five different shades of blue, Draco pointing to the second lightest.

"I like it. What do you think, Isabella?" Ron cooed sweetly to the baby. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy the attention as most had been reserved for the paint for much too long. "I do believe that she likes it," Ron continued, offering his hands so that he could take the child from Draco's arms. She was easily transferred from one pair of arms to the other.

Draco stood there and stared a moment as Ron held the child, speaking just a bit of nonsense to her. She seemed completely enamored with the redhead, big eyes never leaving his face. Draco knew that feeling exactly. He released a content sigh and settled into a chair, marking upon the paint swatch.

He still woke up each day feeling slightly nervous about what that day would bring for them. The parenting thing was still quite new and there were times he wanted to rip his hair out. But then there were those moments, like right then, when everything felt like it was exactly as it should be. Times when it felt like a gap he hadn't even known had existed had been filled and those were the times that stuck out and made any and all regrets futile. Knowing that, the worries seemed that much more insignificant in comparison. And Draco found that everything aside, that was enough. He was whole.

/…/

A/N: Hmm…I sat on this for a bit and kept going back and forth when I was writing What Tomorrow Brings. I'm still not entirely happy with it and it's possible there may be a rewrite. I really enjoyed Between You And Me. I liked the story there and didn't want to give the boys too much new drama but I figured that a baby was just the ticket. So alas, 'tis it for now. I don't plan on dabbling anymore in this universe though who knows. So without further ado, comments are so greatly appreciated :-D