Here and After
This is a link to some music to accompany the story. The videos don't relate though. Please see this playlist on You Tube.
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Chapter 1 – SeverusDear Prudence
"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." – Theodore M. Hesburgh
A cool cloth on her forehead alleviated the heat of a summer morning after a thirty minute jog for Hermione. She peeked in the gym to see if her husband needed any help with their son. An almost cadenced "bam bam" echoed from the boxing bag as Draco pounded it between punches and kicks with the bag jabbing back while Scorpius peacefully watched from in his bassinet. After her shower, she entered the gym where she saw a now familiar but disturbing sight. Draco cradled their son, looking at him with love but also deep concern despite the nurse declaring their baby's perfect health.
"Good morning Puro," she greeted. "Time for his breakfast," she remarked hearing Scorpius' hungry whimpers. After Draco kissed the top of his head, she took their one month old baby. "Is everything alright with him?"
"He's perfectly fine," he assured her as he rustled Scorpius' hair. "Crisalide, you look stunning," he said giving her the once over. "It occurs to me that you haven't had a day of fun recently. How about this Saturday, if you want you can have a day at your favorite spa? All the arrangements have been made. If you're up for the company, you can invite Ginny."
"That's so thoughtful, but the entire day." She glanced at their baby who nursed away. "What about him?"
"I'm perfectly capable of handling him for an entire day by myself." He grinned mischievously. "Besides, if I get into any trouble I have two moms on standby." He kissed her softly before exiting to get ready for work. "See you tonight."
She couldn't help but wonder why Draco looked at his son with such concern. Already, Scorpius could hold his head up, laughed when tickled and seemed entirely well adjusted. She brushed his silky silvery tendrils of hair, inhaling his sandalwood scent. "You're a perfect little blessing," she said looking at her hazel eyed, rosy cheeked child who nursed hungrily. "You certainly have your father's appetite."
In his bassinet, she noticed an envelope with tickets to the Jetsam concert in two weeks with a note. "Crisalide, How about a concert followed by a night of debauchery with your husband? PS: We have plenty of volunteers to baby-sit."
By that time the nurse said it would be safe for debauchery. After their bout of abstinence, she looked forward to it.
Several days later, during a quick trip to London to pick up a talisman, she ate lunch with her cousin Mickey who stayed in town for a couple of days. After she relayed her concerns regarding Scorpius, Mickey's opinion of the matter disturbed her. "Hermione, I'm sure Draco loves you. Politically speaking, his marriage to a Mudblood who is also a renowned, influential author, only promoted his candidacy and eventual win. However, the Malfoy family's acceptance of you is surely related to that. Lucius only wanted the Malfoy influence to increase by having his son become Great Britain's Minister of Magic. Could that have happened with you as Draco's mistress, eventually having his lovechild?" She shook her head. "Why else would Draco be keeping secrets about your child? Obviously, you are a second class witch in that family and always will be."
After digesting everything Mickey said, she confronted Draco in his office about his continued secrecy regarding their child. "You're hiding something, aren't you?"
"Not really," he answered.
"But you told your father I bet," she countered.
"I've asked his advice and research help because I wasn't sure of a certain matter," he answered.
This infuriated her. "Anything concerning our son, you discuss with me first!"
"Look I'm extremely uncertain because I don't have Soul Sight, just hinky feelings and only when it concerns family," he admitted. "I consulted my father for research help. As a member of this family, you should realize that since he's head of it, he has our best interest at heart."
"There's nothing wrong with our son's soul. You're vile for even implying such a thing!" She slapped him hard across the face as she left. "As to being a member of this family, the only reason your father accepted me is so there would be a legitimate heir. I'll always be just a second class witch amongst the Malfoy pure-bloods." As she slammed the door, she thought, "Too bad I love the bastard still." Even though she was furious with him, the bond remained. Quickly, she rushed home and packed a bag for herself and her son.
After four days and no less than nine letters from Draco which she returned to sender, she still refused his company. That evening, at her sanctuary in the Potter home, Harry announced that Lucius approached. She knew that he would forcefully kidnap the Malfoy heir. While Harry and Ginny guarded her son, she answered the door.
"Good evening Hermione," he icily greeted. "I trust you are well." Next to him, Tinkey held a rather large rectangular thin package and a smaller one.
"I'm fine. You're not taking my son," she stated adamantly.
"I'm not here to take your son," his manner chilled more. Tinkey handed her the larger of the two packages. "This gift is from your husband." Then she handed her the smaller of the packages. "This gift is from me." Swiftly, with a flash of annoyance in his eyes, he left.
Immediately, she gave Harry the gifts. "Harry, these may have some sort of dark magic involved. Would you mind taking them to work for examination?" As an Auror, he could easily handle the matter.
"Not a problem," he said taking the gifts. "I'll take them to the office tonight. Then I'll examine them tomorrow."
An hour later, Harry returned. "Hermione, Draco is still at the office working and he looks like hell. When I bumped into him, he asked if he could see his son for just a few minutes. He'll have the visitation in his office while you wait nearby." He gave her a sympathetic look. "As a father, he does have a right to see his son. You should consider it?"
The next day Harry sent her a note that the gifts were perfectly fine with the smaller having an odd but potent protection spell. In respect of her privacy, he opted not to open the boxes. She replied in kind that she would stop in that evening for the gifts and bring Scorpius by for a quick visit with his father. That evening she visited Harry at his office in the Ministry of Magic. "Draco may visit his son for an hour while we grab a bite," she announced.
After she grabbed a quick meal, she sat in Harry's office looking at the gifts, debating on whether or not to open them when she noticed that over an hour had passed. Panicked, she asked Harry to check in on them. When Harry returned, he looked sullen. "They're still in his office; just let them be." He looked over at the gifts. "Why don't you open them while you wait?"
After Harry left for home, she privately opened the larger gift which beheld a letter from Draco and "Blackwell's Comprehensive Guide to Veelas" bookmarked by her ticket to the Jetsam concert. She read the letter first.
Dearest Crisalide,
I love you. The reason I didn't discuss a possible issue with our son is because I couldn't be certain that one existed. I wanted my father's help to research before I might have alarmed you unnecessarily. My hinky feeling regarding our son's soul was only that he may suffer slightly from feelings of isolation more than a normal child as he gets older due to the unfortunate events during your pregnancy. As you can see from the book, I am still uncertain. Even a full blooded veela may not be able to tell. My uncertainty could've endangered your health unnecessarily should you have decided to give him a sibling so soon after his birth. Please come home.
Love always,
Puro
She now read the section he had bookmarked: a section she had ignored previously since it couldn't apply to Draco since he wasn't pure veela. "Veelas in short bursts can glimmer images of one's soul. With more heightened emotions on the part of the victim, the easier it is for the veela to read. Also, a veela reads family easier than strangers. The ability is virtually nonexistent in mixed heritages and is certainly very weak when present." Then she read the section on pure veela families. "Veelas tend to have children in rapid succession due to strong sibling bonds. Due to a female veela's fortitude, this does not present any health problems."
The smaller package revealed a black leather bound book with silver leaf pages and the Malfoy family's crest on the cover: the Malfoy Book of Traditions. Hesitantly, she touched the book that would set fire to a non Malfoy hand and found that it didn't harm her at all. The last entry, written by Lucius, dated the day after her wedding, read: "The head of the Malfoy line shall adopt his daughter-in-law into his heart as if she were his own child."
Silently, she opened the door to Draco's office to find him at his desk with his feet propped up, holding Scorpius on his chest, both asleep. Though he looked haggard, he seemed peaceful holding his son while Scorpius seemed to have the most restful sleep he had since she left. She sat on his couch, waiting for Scorpius' feeding time. When she heard the creaking of Draco's chair and the hungry whimpers of their son, he solemnly handed Scorpius to her and quietly left.
While Scorpius nursed and after careful introspection, she realized she overreacted when she left. In her heart, she realized Draco only had her best interest in mind. Though he should have told her, she understood his reasoning. Within the Malfoy family, Narcissa supported her all along and always treated her like a daughter while she and her mom became friends. After many long months, Lucius accepted her as a daughter. All in all, they never treated her like a second class witch. As a matter of fact, they cared for her like a princess.
Later that evening, she went home. Upon entering, Narcissa welcomed her. "We're so glad you came home," she said with genuine warmth and affection. "Please don't think that if you and Draco fight, you have to leave. We have always left matters to be dealt with between the two of you."
"I know and I appreciate it." Then she handed Scorpius to her since she seemed anxious to hold him.
"Draco is in his study."
When she entered, he paced angrily. "How dare you make me beg to see my own son," he yelled acrimoniously.
"How dare you not tell me if you even suspect if anything is wrong with our child," she retorted rancorously.
"Fine!" they yelled at the same time. "It won't happen again!" Subsequently, they heatedly stared at each other for a few moments.
"You need to leave my study now," he tersely ordered.
"Don't tell me what to do," she snapped back.
"You don't understand," he explained. His eyes revealed catlike slits. "We haven't since you right before you gave birth and we're supposed to wait another few days."
"I know." Excitedly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. "But I don't care. I want you so much right now." With a flick of her wand, she commanded, "Amoveo!"
The next day they continued to debauch each other.
A few days later, Hermione awaited Lucius, who had barely spoken two words to her since her return, in the basement. When he didn't join her, she approached him in his study. "Father, I'm sorry I doubted you," she stated meekly. "Please forgive me."
"You're forgiven," he said without looking up.
"Due to my hormones, I believed someone who told me that the only reason you accepted me was so you would have a legitimate heir. I know that's not true at all and it never was." Lucius still continued to write. "Then Draco and I had that horrible fight. I feel just terrible about the entire thing." Not wanting his icy manner to continue, she used her one weapon Lucius had no defense against: tears.
As she wept, soon after, he sat next to her and embraced her while she rested her head on his shoulder. "No need to cry. Narcissa told me about the hormone thing and you couldn't help how you felt. Maybe you shouldn't listen to this corruptive friend of yours?"
"I won't," she said between sniffles. "I promise."
"As for the fight, no one will interfere in a quarrel between you and Draco. Every couple fights." As he dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, he smiled warmly. "About a year after Narcissa and I were married, we had our first fight. Because we were afraid to hash out issues prior to this fight, it was explosive. We yelled until we lost our voices. Accordingly, the worst fight our marriage weathered resulted in the best thing our marriage produced: baby Draco nine months later."
"Maybe Draco and I have weathered our worst fight?"
"You see, that's the bright side."