While Harry was at the Dursley's trying to convince them to go into hiding, Draco was in France, safely tucked away under a fidelius charm at his family's villa. There was no lilac forest with passion fruit vines or guava trees, but there were plenty of grape vines and sunshine. There was even a little stream that ran through the back of the property, which Draco had played in many times as a child, but was currently further than he could walk.

Draco was only four months pregnant and his stomach had only a small bump. He was sure it was bigger than the average pregnancy bump for this early stage, but he was carrying twins, after all, so his bump should be bigger. But even then, the lump wasn't all that big and it certainly didn't explain why he was so tired all the time. Mother and Professor Snape said it was to be expected with a Peverell pregnancy; especially with twins and that he shouldn't overdo it. He stayed inside or went on walks through the first row of grape vines, but never any further out; never to the stream in the back and rarely to the vegetable garden on the side of the house.

Earlier Professor Snape had stopped by, which was about as much excitement as Draco ever got. Besides the occasional visits from Professor Snape, there was just Mother, Grandmother Druella, and the house elves to keep him company. He had lied to Harry, through their charmed coins, about Professor Snape not having the secret to the villa, but he knew Professor Snape was on his side and Harry couldn't know that. The professor had a job to do and he couldn't do it if anyone thought he was still a spy. So Draco had lied, but he didn't feel bad about it, because he needed Snape.

Given the arrangement between Snape and Dumbledore, it was obvious that the situation could not remain as it was. Snape was destined to kill Dumbledore and immerse himself in his role as a spy for the Order, while Harry couldn't be allowed to know what was really going on. Harry's ignorance was critical to the plan and Harry would never allow Draco to be in continued contact with Snape after Dumbledore's death, so he was forced to choose between Harry and Snape. Draco had chosen Snape.

Professor Snape was Draco's physician after all, while Harry would be busy saving the world. At the very least Snape was needed to deliver the twins, although the professor came by more regularly than necessary. Snape checked on Draco and the pregnancy once a week and at the same time, delivered much sought after news. Mother could cast the diagnostic spells herself if Professor Snape couldn't make it, but Mother couldn't deliver news or be their link to the outside world. That was the primary reason Snape came by so often.

The diagnostic spells normally gave very good results, indicative of a very healthy baby. But there were two babies and twice now, the second time being today, the diagnostic spells revealed only mediocre results. The baby was alive and certainly surviving, but below average in weight. But then Professor Snape recast the spells and got the usual good results. The conclusion was, since there were two babies, that one baby was bigger and healthier than the other. They would have to watch the results closely and try to get two readings each time, but there was really nothing for it, except for Draco to eat healthy and get plenty of rest.

Rest was something Draco did a lot of these days. He took long afternoon naps, went to bed early, and woke up late. He was tired now, because it was almost naptime, but he had a letter to write, so he was sitting out on the patio table with his parchment, quill, and ink bottle, writing. Every few words he'd pause and look up at the view of rolling hills covered in row after row of grape vines, while he would try to decide which words to use next. This was a very important letter after all, because it was to his father.

Professor Snape had delivered news that very morning. Lucius Malfoy and several other Death Eaters had walked out of Azkaban with the permission of the dementors, a corrupt Ministry official, and a pair of Aurors that were in the Dark Lord's pocket. Draco's father was free and that meant he had to get a message to Father, letting him know that the Malfoy's had switched sides, but the message had to be cryptic. It couldn't give away too much, in case the letter fell into the wrong hands or in the event that Father decided not to change sides.

Narcissa, Druella, and Draco were all convinced that Lucius would change sides immediately once Lucius knew what was going on, but there was no point in coming out with all the details at once. This letter certainly shouldn't reveal that Draco was married to Harry, that Harry had changed his last name to Malfoy, or that Draco was pregnant with twins, by Harry. Lucius would know in time, but that was too much to write in this first letter. This letter had to be short and simple and give only the barest amount of information.

The letter read, "I remember when my Grandfather Abraxas and I would walk together in the vineyard surrounded by row after row of grapes. Grandfather Abraxas would show me how to tend the vines and he would tell me about the life lessons he had learned, such as when it was time to cut your losses. I miss my grandfather and I have missed you too, Father. I hope to see you soon, your loving son, Draco Malfoy."

Draco had written that an hour ago, just after lunch. Then he had performed the secrecy charm he and Father always used to code their messages. The parchment blanched and blanked itself and now he was attempting to write the real letter. The first letter had its clues that would be visible to any Death Eater, Order member, or Auror who might intercept it, but this second one only Father would know how to decode. This one was for Father's eyes only.

So far Draco only had a few sentences written even though he had been thinking about it for a half hour. The parchment read, "I am safe with Grandmother Druella and Mother in hiding under a fidelius charm. I am still unable to fight after an injury I sustained this year at Hogwarts."

After writing that Draco had gotten distracted by the burning in his Dark Mark. The mark had been dormant all during his sixth year at Hogwarts and hadn't so much as twinged since he stepped on the Hogwarts expressed last September; it had to be dormant in order to keep his cover while he was on assignment from the Dark Lord. But after Dumbledore's death, Draco was supposed to report back to the Dark Lord. Professor Snape had reported back, but Draco had gone into hiding. Thus the Dark Lord had summoned Draco with the mark, turning it from a pale, almost non-existent outline that he had easily hidden from Harry behind a glamour, to the jet black image of a snake coming out of the mouth of a skull. The mark burned all the time now, indicating that the Dark Lord was still attempting to call Draco to His service. But it was only an unpleasant burning sensation and Draco wouldn't go. Instead he would call back his father from the Dark Lord's service and cost Him a loyal follower.

Draco, turning away from his arm and back to his parchment, thought very carefully about what to write. He added, "The Malfoy family has decided to switch sides."

Draco thought some more, before adding, "I suggest you go into hiding and lie low." Then he looked up and stared at the beautiful hillsides, before deciding to end it with, "We'll be in touch."

Another half an hour passed as Draco went over everything he had written, twice, and made sure that he hadn't said too much. From the non-coded message, Father would be able to figure out that they were in France at the Malfoy villa where Grandfather Abraxas had gone to retire. Father would also know that Draco felt it was time to cut their losses and disassociate with the Dark Lord. Father would make his way to France and find a place to lie low near the villa, but thanks to the fidelius charm, Father wouldn't be able to find it; instead Father would wait for further contact. A second letter would be sent when Father had made his excuses to the Dark Lord and thrown off all Death Eater contacts. But for now, this was it and Draco was exhausted.

Narcissa brought Draco out a glass of grape juice and a small plate of cheese slices. "You look knackered dragon; you can finish this letter after your lie down," she said.

It was grape juice, grapes, tomatoes, milk, yogurt, and cheese slices every day now that they were at the villa. They had no pumpkin juice, so the elves were mixing the morning sickness remedy in with the drinks they had plenty of, which were milk and grape juice. There was a small dairy farm on the other side of the villa and a small garden on this side, in addition to the vineyard. The house elves tended it all, which meant they had all the diary, tomatoes, and grape products they could want.

Draco took a sip of his grape juice and replied to his mother, "I've finished it. Here, have a look, Mother." He pushed the parchment over to her and began to eat his cheese.

Narcissa took the parchment and read it, while Draco continued to eat and drink. Draco was popping the last slice of cheese into his mouth when Narcissa replied, "It's good Draco, but do you think it's wise to include such blatant hints in the non-coded portion? Anyone could read this and know that we're at our villa in France and are traders."

"I think it will be obvious to the Dark Lord where we have gone soon enough. As for cutting our losses; that could refer to anything," Draco replied, before taking another gulp of his juice.

"No, I think it clearly indicates that we have switched sides. You should change it to something else."

"Like what?"

"Like that family comes first or that when injured, one should take the time to nurse one's wounds, before jumping back into the fight. Your Grandfather Abraxas said both of those things to me."

"Yeah, that could work. I'll change it after dinner," Draco said, finishing the juice.

Narcissa left the parchment out on the table and walked Draco into the villa. He could manage on his own, but he was growing weaker as the pregnancy progressed and the stairs were becoming harder on him, so she wanted to walk with him, just in case. A house elf was already putting the lid back on the ink and cleaning up.

Draco made his way upstairs to his new bedroom and lay down for his nap. It was a large room with an en suite bathroom and was adjacent to the nursery. His mother and grandmother were still working on decorating the nursery and setting up all the baby things, but he wasn't quite halfway through his pregnancy, so they had time.

When Draco woke up, he had dinner with his mother and grandmother and then started rewriting his letter to his father.

Author's Note: I hope everyone has made it over to the sequel! I have a couple of transition chapters planned for the pregnancy, but the babies will be here rather quickly!

Please Review and let me know if you're still reading this story!