Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Let There Be No More Curse	By : lexiatel Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 61015 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 10
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to Jk Rowling, I do not make any profit in writing this story what so ever, I am just having some fun.

Chapter List
- 26
- 27
- 28
AN: Getting behind in updates, sorry. I'm updating again with several chapters. I'll choose to update with four of them.

This is one of them.

Hermione woke up early in the morning, dying of thirst. Everything was still dark, with no sign of dawn approaching yet. It was only 3:30.

So it was going to be one of them mornings, she thought to herself as she tossed aside the quilt she had been using and got up.

Restlessness.

That's what she's been suffering from on and off throughout the last week now. She would often wake up thirsty and with a mind that didn't want to sleep. There was no particular topic that it would set on though, her brain was just determined to annoy her. That could have been why she was cross with Draco recently. Or perhaps it was the other condition that she was currently going through.

She stopped at the doorway of the bedroom to look over at the lump in the bed that was Draco. He snored ever so softly, appearing to be sleeping rather peacefully, given the day he had just had. She knew he had had a rough one.

Hermione sighed. She did hope he would change his mind about having a daughter. His earlier concerns were awfully foolish, as he had handled the girls relatively well.

Except for the 'have anything you wish for dinner' thing. It had taken the pair of them to settle those little children down after that.

But they were extremely adorable, those little girls.

Hermione smiled to herself as she made her way to the kitchen for a drink of water. Draco was a sure sucker for kids, that's for damn sure.

She sipped her drink, sitting at the kitchen table with one sole light on so she could see. She thought about what the future had lined up for them. For she and Draco, their kids, and then the Zabini girls, wishing them all a bright future.

A solid thud brought her from her thoughts and made her look up from the table that she had been subconsciously staring at.

"Draco?" she loudly whispered. He often got up in the night if she was missing from the room, simply to check up on her before going back to bed.

He didn't answer though, so Hermione got up to investigate. She cringed at the idea of having some sort of pest running amuck, and with the thought of that, she equipped herself with her wand. After the Bogart, she was taking no chances.

She walked along the hallway toward where she thought the thud had come from, and soon heard soft music, recognizing it to be Scorpius's magical toy piano. It played a popular classic tune and then the music paused a few seconds before it picked up again. The slight offkey playing informed Hermione that it was being played with.

When she came across the playroom, where the noise was coming from, she saw the light from the tiny piano, providing enough to show that it was Cara who was the one playing. The child was heavily concentrating on the sound being played back for her to mimic.

Hermione stood in the shadows, watching Cara. The girl pressed ten keys at once with each finger, frustrated from her difficulties in playing the song correctly. She stared at it with glaring eyes as the piano blared an obnoxious multi-keyed tone, then, one at a time, she lifted up each finger. Her face softened. She began humming. A tune that Hermione could not decide if it was a happy or sad one.

The girl stopped humming and played each key on the piano one by one, searching for a specific note. She began humming again, but very slowly, matching her humming to the keys on the piano. And then she sang a verse,

"The wind, it howls through the treetops

A sound that I wish would forever stop

Because I want to play in the apple tree

But they say it is not safe for me"

And as she sang each word, she played a note on the piano. Her voice was beautiful, and while Hermione had never heard the song before, she was sure that the girl sang in tune. Hermione believed that Cara was that good.

Cara repeated the verse over and over, played each piano key over and over, memorizing how to play the song on it. The girl must had played it twenty times before she stopped abruptly in the middle of it and pushed the piano away harshly. She curled up into a ball and whimpered.

Hermione stepped into the room, and flicked on the overhead light with her wand, scaring Cara, and causing her to yelp out in surprise. She sat up and backed away toward the sofa, looking at first terrified, then in immense guilt.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said apologetically. "Are you okay, honey?" she asked. "You sounded so sad."

"I am sad," Cara said, her chin trembled. "The pozione didn't work!" she wailed. "It didn't work! And I want my Papa!"

Hermione went to Cara and sat down on the floor next to her. Cara climbed into her lap. "He can't come right now," Hermione told Cara softly. "I'm sorry."

Cara buried her head into Hermione's chest and sobbed noisily. An occasional, "It didn't work. I don't know why," could be heard from her as Hermione rocked her back and forth to soothe her.

"It'll be okay," Hermione said gently, rubbing her back.

"Can you sing to me, Hermione?" Cara's tiny voice asked. She sniffed wetly and then wiped her nose on Hermione's night shirt. Hermione didn't even flinch at the mucus.

"I sure can, sweety." Hermione brushed Cara's loose hair from her face and wiped her tears from it. She sang some Muggle songs, assuming that the girl hadn't heard any of them before.

"Sing the sun one again," Cara requested. "I like that one."

"Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun

Please shine down on me

Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun

Hiding behind the tree

Oh these little children are asking you

To please come out so they can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun,

Please shine down on me!

Oh shine, shine, shine, shine your light on me

Hey, hey now! Shine, shine, shine

Oh, you make me so happy!

Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun

Please shine down on me!"

With a tired voice, Cara joined in on the last verse. She yawned. "Thank you," she said under her breath. She smiled and her eyes fluttered close.

Hermione continued to sing to her, rocking her gently to sleep.

"What happened?" Draco's voice cut into her singing a while later.

Hermione lifted her head up from where it had been set on Cara's. He was nearing them with Scorpius in his arms. Neither had been dressed, making Hermione note that it still was an ungodly hour of the day.

She looked down at the sleeping Cara and smiled a little. "I think she had a nightmare. She kept saying that the potion didn't work. She asked for Zabini. I found her here playing with the piano—" Hermione gently tossed her head toward the toy. "—trying to learn how to play a song on it. She did incredibly well. I may even classify her a genius at it."

Draco studied Cara for a moment with a blank expression before he bent down and tapped the miniature piano with his wand, turning it off. He then sat next to Hermione and adjusted Scorpius into a comfortable sitting position. "I woke up to this little chomper sniveling," he informed, taking the baby's hand and shaking it. "Seems like she's not the only one having a rough night. The other two are soundless though." He shook his head. "Amazing those two," he murmured. "I now understand Blaise's mild lack of concern for them."

"They seem very close," Hermione said, speaking about Elenore and Cinzia. "But did you notice they often leave Cara out of their playing?"

"I'm sure Elenore is not doing it on purpose, she's so young, she might not realize it's happening. She and Cara do get along okay." Draco defended. He frowned. "My mother had two sisters, I wonder if she can help me..."

"It was Mrs. Tonks that was the middle child and was often left out. Maybe it is she who could relate to Cara better."

"Hmm," Draco mused. "Good point. You better talk to her."

"And why me?"

"Because you're in contact with her," he told her bluntly. "I've not even met the woman."

"She's your aunt though—"

"I'm not going to do it," Draco said, his tone unchanging.

"Not even to help your sweet, innocent goddaughter who needs your help?" Hermione poked out her bottom lip in a pathetic pout and hugged Cara close to her, putting on the most sickening sad face she could come up with.

Draco sighed. "You're a mess, Hermione, and you have no limits." He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Nonetheless—" He sighed again, this time heavily. "If it'll help little Cara here—"

"Great!" Hermione whispered to keep her voice down, not wanting to wake up Cara.

"Noktah!" Scorpius said and patted at Cara's arm.

Draco took Scorpius's hand, removing it from Cara. "Yes, she's sleeping, so no touching. Let her rest."

Scorpius closed his eyes and threw himself back against his father's chest, tucking up into Draco's arms. He yawned. "Noktah," he said sleepily.

"I thought he was hungry and so I went looking for you," Draco told Hermione. "Now I just think he wanted me to carry him around." He chuckled.

"Maybe he feels a little left out," Hermione guessed, and set a free hand to the back of her now sleeping son. "Things have changed over night for him. He's used to our undivided attention."

Draco carefully tossed back his head, looking up at the ceiling helplessly. "How am I supposed to manage all these kids at once?!"

"Mrs. Weasley succeeded well," she said, giving him a grin. "You aren't going to let a Weasley out do you, are you?"

He snorted. "How did you become so manipulative?"

She shrugged. "From observation, I guess..."

"You've turned into a warm-blooded snake," he teased wickedly. "I like that."

"Warm-blooded? But snakes aren't—"

"You're too lovely to be a cold-blooded one," Draco said dryly, carefully getting up as to not disturb Scorpius. "Shall we trade? I'll carry Cara back up to her bed."

They struggled a little with the exchange, but eventually, Draco held Cara in his arms, and Scorpius was in Hermione's; both of little ones were still asleep.

"Let's go back to bed," Draco said through a yawn, and noxed out the light without a using a wand.

In their bed, after Scorpius and Cara were set back in their own, Draco settled himself close to Hermione, tugging the sleeve of her night shirt off her shoulder, and kissing the bare skin. "You are so lovely," he murmured against her.

Hermione didn't know if he was trying to get frisky, but she wasn't in the mood for that at the moment, so she took his arms and linked them at her waist. "Go to sleep, Draco. We'll need it."

He pressed his nose into her mess of hair, breathing in her scent. "You're right, love. I was only expressing how wonderful you are." And it wasn't long before they both drifted to back to sleep, each with a smile on their face.

"Why doesn't you have a house-elf to cook?" Cara asked when she had entered the kitchen to Hermione finishing up making breakfast a few hours later.

"House-elves are not our slaves, Cara," Hermione answered firmly. One day, she imagined, she wouldn't have to constantly explain this to people. That was her goal anyway.

"And people say you're weird," Hermione heard Cinzia whisper to her sister.

"I'm diff'rent!" Cara wailed. "Not weird! Papa says so!"

"Mama says Papa's weird," Cinzia countered.

"He is not! You only say that 'cause you hate him!"

"I do not!" Cinzia spat back. "I love him more than you!"

"NO!" Cara screamed.

"Stop it, you two," Hermione ordered. "No more of that!"

"Are you girls at it again?" Draco came into the kitchen with Scorpius at his hip. Hermione noted with a smile that the two males were dress in the same outfit again. She laughed quietly to herself, picturing herself buying a set of lion pajamas and somehow conning Draco into wearing them so she could watch father and son crawl around on the ground roaring at each other.

She might be able to get Draco to do it. Maybe— if he possessed the ClickCap first, so she had no way of recording the event.

"Would you act this way at home?" Draco asked the girls, depositing Scorpius into his baby chair.

"No, Mama wouldn't wet us," Elenore confessed, causing her elder sisters to become very quiet.

Hermione sent platefuls of food to the table. Eggs, bacon, toast, fruits, yogurt, and more.

"What's this?" Cara held up a piece of bacon, giving it a look of disgust. She cautiously sniffed at it.

"That's bacon," Hermione told her, sitting down between Elenore and Scorpius, to feed the latter his breakfast. This morning he was having apple and cherry puree.

Cara dropped it dramatically back onto her plate and wiped her hand delicately with her napkin to rid her fingers of the residue from the meat.

"It's good!" Elenore said happily with her mouth full of a bite of it.

"Mama says it's bad," Cinzia reminded her in a hushed tone, as if she were going to get punished just for saying it. Elenore stopped her chewing and spat it out on top of her eggs.

"Bacon is bad?" Draco had been spreading jelly onto a piece of wheat toast, only to have paused to ask the question. He sent Cinzia a look of disbelief. "That's nonsense!"

"It isn't! Mama said so!" Cinzia argued.

Hermione cleared her throat, sending Draco a look. He didn't need to be saying things like that about their mother. Draco mocked her by clearing his own throat and rolling his eyes.

"Why does your mama say it's bad?" Hermione asked, ignoring Draco's childish behavior.

"Bacon makes you fat," Cara answered in a matter of fact.

"I don't remember you having any regrets from the ice cream you had for dinner last night," Draco spoke up, purposely not looking at any of them, focusing more on his breakfast. "I'm sure she would be against that too."

But that was Hermione's least concern. To have your children worry about gaining weight was quite absurd!

Elenore had gasped and was looking around wide eyed.

"Ice cream is good for you," Cinzia said to relax her sister. She sprinkled a handful of almonds on her yogurt, then added a blob of jam to it and mixed it all together. "It has lots of milk in it."

Draco shrugged, obviously agreeing with her. "Still high in fat, though."

"And sugar," Hermione added, wiping at Scorpius's face with the spoon. He tried grabbing at it, but Hermione knew if he was given it, he would just want to suck on it, rather than eat.

"Tadee!" Scorpius wailed in frustration. "Mina!" He then smacked the tray to his chair in protest.

"Scorpius, behave," Draco scolded. "You're not getting the spoon."

The baby then wailed unhappily, pushing away the spoon that Hermione held out to him to eat off of.

"You're going to be a grumpy poo today, aren't you?" Hermione cooed at him.

"Dah!" He pointed to Cara's scrambled eggs.

"Aren't you going to eat, Cara?" Hermione asked after noticing that she hadn't even taken a bite from anything off her plate.

"I'm not hungry," she muttered.

"I'll have your yogurt then!" Cinzia reached over Cara's plate, snatched up the cup of yogurt, and set it on her own plate.

"Hey!" Cara shrieked. "That's mine, Cinny!"

"You said you weren't hungry," Cinzia said, without a care in the world, quickly adding it to her own yogurt.

"There's more anyway," Draco informed simply, dipping his toast in his yogurt. "It's not like there's a sudden shortage of it."

"Do you want some then?" Hermione asked Cara.

"No..." The girl bent her head down and crossed her arms. "I'm not hungry. I don't want anything."

"Is it because your mother is coming over today?"

Draco had announced earlier that Marietta would be coming over to visit with the girls. Elenore and Cinzia had expressed excitement. Cara hadn't said much about it though, puzzling Hermione. But Draco had warned her that Cara would act quite strange in comparison to the average child her age, so she had shrugged the lack of reaction off.

"I just don't feel good," Cara whined softly. "Can I go back to bed?" she pleaded.

"If that's what you want..." Draco said slowly. The corners of his mouth sank down to a frown. "Why don't you take a banana with you, alright? Maybe you'll get hungry later." He handed her one as she passed. "Perhaps she's coming down with something," Draco figured out loud when the girl had left the room. "It's that time of year, afterall."

"Maybe," Hermione mildly agreed. There was a tiny, quiet voice in her head that was telling her differently though.

*/*

"Oh, you should take Scorpius with you," Hermione suggested as Draco was readying himself to Floo so he could talk to his aunt. "Teddy should be there today. He and Scorpius get along very well. Teddy loves the little children."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" He had been asking the question over and over in deep concern, since he felt bad about leaving her alone with the girls. He absently took Scorpius who she held out for him, and waited for her to answer.

"I will!" she promised him, kissing his unsmiling lips. "Do something with Scorpius when you finish at Mrs. Tonks, alright? Show him that these girls won't take his derbla away." She gave Scorpius a gentle head rub and then kissed his cheek.

"Soddah, Mina!" the baby shrieked out happily, waving his hand at her.

"Love you both."

Draco's face didn't relax. His eyes darted to the door that lead out of the flooing room and into the hall. One of the girls was shouting. "I don't think I should go—"

Hermione pushed him to the fireplace. "You're underestimating my child caring skills!"

She finally earned a smile from him. "I suppose you're right." He leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers, giving her a timely kiss. "I'll miss you while I'm out," he said quietly when he was finished. He traced her lips with his thumb, looking her in the eye with pure passion.

She closed her eyes, relishing his touch. "I'll miss you too, Draco. Be safe."

He grunted amusingly. "I always am." He glanced back toward the sound of the girls' fighting. "Enjoy." He gave her a teasing smirk before ducking into the floo.

"You owe me." She pointed a finger at him, scolding him playfully.

"I really do," Draco agreed with a wide grin, and with a flash of blue, he was gone.

By the time Hermione had gotten to the girls to break up their fighting, Cara was crying and dramatically stomping around the bedroom that the girls had been given to share. She was dragging a dress around the room as she "walked".

"What's wrong now?" Hermione asked exasperatedly. She wouldn't bet that these girls could be ten minutes together without a fight breaking loose.

"Cinzia threw my dress it the dirty hamper!"

"It was on the floor— dirty clothing goes in the dirty hamper!"

"But it was not dirty!"

"Was so!"

"NO!" Cara screamed and threw herself onto the floor, kicking her feet. "It wasn't! It wasn't!"

"Cinzia, why don't you take Elenore to the playroom? In a few minutes, maybe we can all have a tea party."

"You'll pway wiff us?" Elenore asked surprised.

"I might be able to, yes. But first I want to talk with Cara, alright?"

"Otay!" Elenore followed Cinzia out of the room.

"Cara, I will have your dress washed today—"

"I wanted to wear it today!" Cara stressed, clutching the dress to her chest.

"Sweety," Hermione addressed her softly, and lowered herself to the floor so she could walk on her knees to Cara. "You wore that yesterday, remember? It needs to be washed now, otherwise you'll not smell very good."

Cara took a sniff at it. "It smells okay," she insisted.

"But it's still dirty, how about we find something else for you to wear while I have it washed."

Cara looked at her dress longingly. Finally, she held it out for Hermione, and took in a deep breath. "Okay..." she reluctantly agreed. "But I don't like waiting!" she added with narrow eyes.

"Yes, waiting is for the pits!" Hermione agreed. "Sometimes, we have to though."

Cara nodded. "Yeah, sometimes we have to."

Hermione sent the dress down to the wash room where she knew Toogy would get an announcement that there was something to clean. There were some things she'd let Draco's house-elf do. And since she couldn't leave the girls alone for a moment, she thought it would be okay for Toogy to clean the dress. She would just have to remember to thank her when Toogy would next come up to her.

Hermione cast a quick cleaning spell on their hands and then helped Cara find something to dress in, selecting a yellow skirt, and a blue turtle-neck shirt. "Now we can play tea party with your sisters," Hermione told her happily.

"Okay!" Cara was excited for that.

The party went alright. It could have gone better. Hermione had served up real tea and biscuits to make it more realistic. There were a few issues, like Cinzia rudely pointing out to Cara that she was holding the teacup incorrectly. This had made Cara mad, and she slammed her cup into the plate holding her biscuits. Tea had slopped over, making her treats soggy and gross. Cara demanded for new ones to which Cinzia had called her a little baby for it.

By lunch time, Hermione was ready to rip her hair out. They literally fought about everything, often putting their younger sister into the mix, and most of the time, that didn't end well for Cara. Draco was right, Elenore didn't seem to exclude Cara on purpose, Cinzia was just better at getting the toddler to side with her.

Not always though, to Hermione's relief.

"Cara, we're trying to work on a puzzle," Cinzia said with annoyance, throwing down the piece she had been trying to fit in a spot. "Stop playing that piano! It's bothering me!"

Cara spat her tongue out, pausing her playing just long enough to do it. "Go tell Mama on me then!"

"She's not here! Remember?"

"Wells, Hermione doesn't mind me playing. So tough for you, Cinzia! Ha!"

"Hermione!" Cinzia whined out. "Tell her to stop!"

Hermione rubbed her aching head. She was beginning to understand why Zabini and Marietta drank themselves into a stupor. As wrong as it was, she was craving for a drink herself.

"She's doing nothing bad, Cinzia." Hermione didn't mind the music as much as Cinzia did.

"But she's bad! A very bad player!"

"No, honey, Cara plays beautifully," Hermione corrected her firmly. Cara gave Hermione a smile of gratitude.

"Yes!" Elenore chimed. "I wikes Cara's music pwaying too! Pweety!"

Cinzia rolled her eyes and went back to the puzzle she and Elenore were working on.

"Listen, Hermione!" Cara said, drawing Hermione's attention to her. She played the verse that Hermione had heard her playing very early that morning about the apple tree.

"Very good, Cara." Hermione clapped.

"I gots more to the song! Want to hear?!"

"I would like that very much."

"That's Papa's song," Cinzia said. "Not yours."

"But I'm playing it on the piano, Cinny, so stai zitto!"

"No you, stai zitto!"

"Be nice," Hermione cut in. "Cara has been working very hard to play the song on the piano. It's a lovely song, and I'd like to hear it."

"We sing it!" Elenore stood up from the area on the floor where the puzzle was, abandoning it.

"Yeah!" Cara said. "We can sing it to Hermione! Come on, Cinny. You can too!"

"I don't want to!" Cinny crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the piano.

"Fine. Nora and I will sing it then."

"The wind, it howls through the treetops

A sound that I wish would forever stop

Because I want to play in the apple tree

But they say it is not safe for me

The highest branch is far too high

It is enough to make me want to cry

Because I want to play in the apple tree

But they say it is not safe for me

Under the tree I must sit

Reading a book, unable to forget

That I want to play in the apple tree

But they say it is not safe for me

I will learn one day later in my life

One year, two, three, or even five

That they said it was not safe for me to play in the apple tree

But the apple that fell onto my head ... That was lots of agony!"

The singing girls ended the song in giggles, and Hermione laughed with them. Cinzia had returned to the puzzle, not paying them any attention, unaffected by the lyrics.

"That's a very cute song."

"It's Papa's song," Elenore informed.

"He says he came up with it when he was a little boy!" Cara said.

Zabini, a song writer. Hermione was amused by the information. "Does he have any more songs?"

"He has wotts!" Elenora exclaimed.

"But he doesn't sing them to us very much..." Cara said quietly.

Hermione noticed the sudden change in mood with the girls. Elenore silently returned to Cinzia at the puzzle. "Why not?" Hermione asked in mild interest.

"'Cause Mama doesn't wike it," Elenore explained.

Cara busied herself back at the piano, tapping at keys. It was eerily quiet after that, except for Cara's piano playing, disturbing Hermione down to the core.

Hermione didn't understand. From what she saw, Zabini didn't care what his wife liked or disliked. Why would that stop him from singing to his little girls? Hermione's opinion certainly wouldn't stop Draco if he wanted to do something that she didn't care for.

"Miss Hermione." Toogy cracked in, stopping herself from bowing.

"Oh, hello, Toogy. Have you noticed the laundry?"

"Oh, yes, Miss, and little Cara's dress is completely washed, but that is not why I have come here, Miss."

"Thank you so much, Toogy; what is it you wish to say?"

"Mrs. Zabini is here, Miss. Master has said to Toogy to expect her."

"Yay, Mama!" Elenore hopped up from the floor and ran out of the room. Cinzia hurried after her.

"Thank you, Toogy. I got it from here."

"Thank you, Miss Hermione." The elf was itching to bow, but she knew Hermione disapproved of it. She smiled kindly up at the witch before popping away.

"Your Mama is here!" Hermione told Cara, who hadn't followed her sisters.

"Yes. Do you has my pozione?" Cara stood anxiously in front of Hermione.

Hermione checked her watch, noticing that Cara was on the dot, asking for the potion. "I do," she said, handing it to her.

Cara sipped it slowly, an unusual thing for her to do. She then took Hermione's hand and they went to the Flooing room where Marietta was kneeling down at Elenore and Cinzia, hugging them. "Are you behaving yourselves?" she was asking. "You're not causing Draco any problems, are you?"

"Si, Mama," Cinzia said automatically.

"We is good, Mama!" Elenore assured her.

"Good," Marietta said approvingly, and kissed them each on the top of their heads.

Hermione released Cara so she could run to her mother. Marietta hugged her tightly, groaning happily. "I missed you, Cara, my darling."

"Anch'io, Mama," Cara murmured, sniffing.

"You are being good, bambina?"

"I try, Mama," Cara answered honestly. "It is hard."

"Have you been colouring in the books Mama packed for you?"

Cara pulled away and gave a quick nod.

"We've been having fun with Scorpius's toys, Mama," Cinzia said. "He has lots of fun toys."

"And books!" Elenore added.

"Mama brought over some more things for you. Draco mentioned that you wanted to play with your dolls." One by one, Marietta pulled out three dolls, one for each of them.

"Thank you, Mama," the girls said in unison, taking them from her.

"And I also brought you some more books."

"I'll put those away, Mama," Cara offered, giving Hermione her doll so she could take the stack of books from Marietta.

"You're such a good girl, Cara. Thank you," her mother proudly cooed.

"I suppose we can all go back down to the playroom," Hermione said after Cara had exited the room with the books.

"Do you want to colour in your new books?" Marietta asked with a smile.

"Yes! Mama, will you cowour wiff us?" Elenore asked hopefully.

"That's what I came here to do, Nora." Marietta fingered Elenore's braid that Hermione had done earlier. "And Mama will properly redo your hair, too." she announced.

"Mine too, Mama?" Cinzia practically pleaded. To Hermione's gratitude, Cinzia left out that she had complained a little when Hermione hadn't done as good as her mother could do.

Marietta nodded an answer. "And Cara's too." She looked at Hermione, flashing her a cold smile. "Don't worry, I completely understand. I was horrible at first too. I've had plenty of practice though." She looked back down at her daughters. "Obviously," Marietta added in the tiniest bit of smugness to her voice.

"Yes, obviously so," Hermione echoed, forcing herself to remain friendly. Marietta was here to see the children, and Hermione was only here as a supervisor— judging by the way Marietta was acting toward Hermione, she not happy about it.

That wasn't Hermione's problem though. These girls wouldn't of had to be here if Marietta had done the right thing before action had to be taken for the safety of the girls.

Hermione sat in the back of the playroom, out of the way, while Marietta dressed Cinzia and Elenore's hair up perfectly. Hermione suppressed her bitterness over the scene,constantly being reminded that she was a horrible hairdresser. How cruel of Marietta to have pointed out Hermione's faults. Especially in front of the children.

They all went to colouring after their hair was done. Hermione had been so absorbed in her angered thoughts, that it was a while before she noticed Cara had yet to join her sisters and mother. By then, Marietta was announcing that she had to leave.

"Hmm, where did Cara go?" Marietta said, after she had kissed her two present daughters a goodbye.

"Maybe she went to da baffroom!"

"Ah, yes, that's probably it," Marietta said absently. "Call up Draco's house elf to alert Cara of my leaving, would you?" she directed at Hermione.

"I do not order Toogy around, Marietta," Hermione told her irritably. "She is not my elf."

"Oh that's right, you're the one that refuses the elves' work." Marietta shook her head. "It's no wonder you have problems."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, shocked by the comment. "Problems? What do you mean by that?"

"You look a mess! You should have kept that elf around. I'll have to talk to Draco about it."

"Excuse me?" Could this woman shock Hermione any furthermore?

Marietta studied her for a moment. She bent down and grabbed her bag that had been placed at her feet while she was colouring. "If you want to try the whole housewife mess with your family, that's your thing, but while you have my daughters, I would prefer you devote your time to them over housework duties."

Hermione's lips thinned. "Toogy?" she called out. A split second later, Draco's loyal elf appeared.

"Oh, Miss has called for Toogy!" the elf squeaked happily. "What can Toogy doos for Miss?"

"Please let Cara know that her mother is leaving, and that she needs to say goodbye." She had major difficulty with keeping her cool as she spoke.

"Toogy will, Miss Hermione."

"Thank you very much."

Marietta's nose scrunched up. "Strange elf."

"Not all elves like barking-mad masters," Hermione calmly lectured.

"So," Marietta said cheerily, turning back to her quiet daughters. "I love you so much! Mama is going to miss you!"

"Ti amo, Mama!" Cinzia said, squeezing her mother tightly in a hug. Elenore copied her sister.

"Remember to behave," Marietta said sternly. "Stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Okay."

"Mama?" Cara called quietly from the door, and ran to her when Marietta opened her arms to her.

"Ti amo, Cara."

"Ti amo." Cara whispered into her mother's chest.

"Hold on, let me fix your hair. It looks hideous."

"It looks okay, Mama," Cara told her.

"Nonsense, darling. Pretty girls need pretty hair." Marietta summoned up the hairbrush from her bag and expertly 'fixed' Cara's hair. She ignored Hermione the whole time and then went on her way, with the girls and Hermione following her to the floo.

"Stay safe," Hermione wished Marietta when she had ducked into the floo. Deep down, she wanted to throttle the woman for what she had implied of Hermione.

Marietta gave her a curt nod. A moment later, the blue flames engulfed her, and took her away.

Something was becoming clear to Hermione every time she had the 'pleasure' in seeing Marietta Zabini.

She is an extremely bitter and spiteful woman.

Be aware, this story has been getting some complaints at ff.net. I do hope that if you're finding that this story just isn't for you that you would be mature enough to walk away. One person literally read 34 chapters of it, and every review he left was all complaints. I don't mind if you don't like it. I don't mind if you say so, but don't waste your time reading 160k words if you didn't like the story from the start.

So far, everyone's ben really decent here. I think ff.net is just flooded with jealous trolls.

Review Reponses:

FieryPhoenix: Yeah, their probs will eventually be explained! And yes, very terrible response from him.

DaFossil: Haha, no joke!

Tassana_Burrfoot: I don't know when they're going to get married. The topic's coming up though. And yes, Scorpius is growing up into a little charm, hehe.

agonya: I've had some comlaints that Scorpius is too observant and smart, but meh, it's just him. Some people are born geniues. Cara's issue will be revealed in the upcoming chapters.

Hurricane_Bridgette: Aww, thank you for binge reading my story. Have you read any of my others? They probably are no where near as good,been 'practice' grammar lately, lol. Scorpius is special yes. I'm not saying anything about the snowglobe though. No spoilers, hehe!
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Let There Be No More Curse