Disclaimer: If I had come up with Harry Potter, I would be out celebrating the fact that I am the coolest woman in the world. Sadly, I'm not.

Chapter 1: An Unexpected Reunion

Hermione Granger settled into her seat on the patio of the café, placing her lunch on the table and her bag in the seat next to her. Starving, she dove right into her bowl of pasta, enjoying the rare breeze on a summer day in Diagon Alley. Once finished, her hunger quelled, she reached into her bag and pulled out a book. Glancing around the patio, she spotted a young boy, no older than 5, sitting alone at one of the tables. His white-blond hair and angelic face reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

I wonder where his parents are, Hermione thought, scanning the café for a blond-haired couple. With no success, she immersed herself in her book, reasoning that since the boy looked neither worried nor afraid, he would be all right.

A few chapters later, Hermione looked up and noticed the young boy fidgeting nervously in his seat. Glancing at her watch, she became concerned. It's been 15 minutes. Where could his parents be? Picking up her tray and bag, she made her way over to his table.

"Hi there. I'm Hermione," she introduced. The young boy looked up at her with innocent eyes, and she was struck once again with a sense of recognition.

"My dad says I shouldn't talk to strangers," the boy replied quietly.

"Oh, I understand," Hermione responded. "But where is your father?"

"I dunno. I'm supposed to go shopping with my mum today."

"Oh. Well, where is your mum?"

"I dunno," the boy answered, shrugging his shoulders. "She went to the loo, but hasn't come back yet."

"Do you know where your mum might have gone? What stores she was planning on going to after lunch?" Hermione inquired, shocked at the woman's neglect.

"Mum only said to wait here for her," the boy explained, looking around for his mother.

"Would you like me to wait with you then?" Hermione asked, not wanting to leave the poor child by himself.

Looking relieved, the boy nodded. He stood up in his chair and extended a hand towards Hermione. "I'm Alexander. You can call me Alex, though."

Smiling at Alex's well-mannered introduction, Hermione shook his hand and took a seat next to the young boy.

Draco Malfoy sat in the Leaky Cauldron sipping his firewhisky, leg shaking nervously. Where the bloody hell is that woman? She was supposed to be here an hour ago.

Glancing at the door, he finally saw his wife walk through the doors, followed by two house elves holding her shopping bags. Soon to be ex-wife, Draco thought, relieved. He waved at her and watched her walk over to him, a look of disgust evident on her aristocratic face.

"God, you know how much I hate this place Draco, yet you insist on coming here," Pansy Parkinson whined.

Looking around her and at the house elves, Draco's heart began to pound. "Pans, where the hell is our son?"

"Would you relax, Draco? Honestly, you think I'm the worst mother in the world. He's right behind me," Pansy replied nonchalantly.

Draco stood up, jaw clenched and eyes dangerously narrowed. "Where," he growled, getting more and more nervous by the second.

Pansy looked around at her house elves and her bags. "Well, he was right behind me."

"You stupid bint! You lost our son somewhere in Diagon Alley?" Draco stormed out of his booth and raced to the door, cloak billowing behind him menacingly. Pansy, realizing the extent of his fury, knew to follow behind him immediately.

"Where was the last time you saw him?" Draco seethed, in a state of utter disbelief at the stupidity of his wife.

"I dunno. I don't remember him being lost. He's so quiet you know."

Draco shot Pansy a glare that made her feel as though she would burst into flames. "I know he was there during lunch. He almost spilled his drink on his new robes."

With that, Draco made his way to the café, easily maneuvering through the crowded streets as the shoppers rushed out of his way in fear.

Hermione laughed quietly as Alex tried to read her book aloud. She was amazed at how smart he was and how well he could read, especially for a four-year old. Sorry, 4 and 11 months, she corrected herself, remembering how adamant Alex was about getting his age correct.

It had been about half an hour since Hermione joined him. In that time, Hermione learned that Alex had lived in Paris for his entire life with his parents. Recently, they separated, and he spent most of his time with his father, who he was very close with. His mother, on the other hand, didn't play much of a part in his life, even when his parents were together. His parents decided to move back to London, their home, in order for him to grow up and be educated in England and Hogwarts when the time came.

"What's that word?" Alex asked, pointing to the book.

Glancing over his shoulder, Hermione read, "Retribution. It means repayment, or revenge."

The two continued to read, eating their ice cream, oblivious to the infuriated blond running down the street across from them.

"Alex!" Draco yelled, frantically searching the café patio.

Alex and Hermione turned in their seats, as well as everyone else sitting in the café.

"Daddy!" Alex cried, jumping out of his seat and running to his father.

Oh my god. That's why he looked so familiar, Hermione thought, completely frozen with shock.

Neither had seen each other since the end of the war, when Draco had left the country suddenly. His departure seemed odd, since the ministry had pardoned him because of his immeasurable aid to the Order and Voldemort's defeat.

I didn't know he had a son. Hell, I didn't even know he got married. And to Pansy Parkinson?

Draco enveloped his son in his arms, flooded with relief to have Alex back in his sight. Putting him down, he looked back at Alex's table, finally noticing who was sitting with his son.

"Daddy, come meet Hermione," Alex exclaimed, pulling his father's hand. "She's really nice. She bought ice cream and read with me while we waited for you."

Draco blanched. Granger? I haven't seen her in years, and she has to find my kid after Pansy loses him. Great.

"Hermione," Draco greeted, extending a hand.

"Draco," Hermione replied, shaking his hand, remembering how Alex had greeted her in the same fashion.

"Thank you for looking after him, Gr-uh, Hermione. This hasn't ever happened though," Draco clarified, glaring at Pansy behind him.

"It was no problem. Hello Pansy," Hermione said, waving at the affronted woman. Pansy gave her a condescending smirk in return, rolling her eyes and scoffing.

"She works in a bookstore, Dad. Can we go? She said there were stacks and stacks of books, and she could help me find the best ones," Alex pleaded, looking at his father with puppy dog eyes.

"You work at Flourish and Blott's?" Draco asked, trying not to smirk. "That was unexpected."

Hermione blushed, narrowing her eyes at his failed attempt to hide a smirk. "I volunteer there. I'm actually a Healer. But I would love to help Alex find some great books. He's an amazing reader already," she replied, looking down at Alex with a smile.

"Please dad, " Alex pled once again.

"Not today, Alex. But Hermione, do let me pay for the ice cream," Draco offered. "It's the least I can do."

"Don't worry about it. It was no problem at all," Hermione responded.

"Well, I'll pay you back somehow. But we should get going now. It was…good seeing you," Draco said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Yes, you too. And it was great meeting you, Alex," Hermione beamed, shaking his hand once again.

"Bye Hermione!" Alex waved, smiling as he walked away with his father. Pansy, glancing over her shoulder at her retreating family, gave Hermione one last look and turned to leave, her bags following her.

Hermione gathered her book and her bag and made her way to the exit, feeling confused and a little dazed. Well that was awkward.

Hope you liked it. This is probably going to be a kind of long story, unless no one likes it, in which case I'll stop writing and probably fling myself off of a building. Not really, but please read and review.