Hermione packed the last of her things from her office into her trunk as her son walked into the room.
"Mum, can we go?" Scorpius said as he reached her desk, "I want to get to the manor. Grandmother told me she left me a gift in my room."
Hermione shrunk the trunk and nodded. "We need to go to my quarters to grab my trunk there and then we can floo over."
Scorpius grabbed the trunk and headed out of the room. Hermione smiled behind him. He was growing into quite the young man. Troublesome at times when him and Albus got together. She shook her head at the antics those two go in to. They reminded her too much of her own time at Hogwarts. If there was trouble some how those two were in the middle of it.
As they reached her quarters she heard laughter, that could only be Drucilla and Draco. Dru was the only person that could make her husband forget all decorum and laugh like that.
"What is so funny?" Hermione couldn't help but join in the contagious laughter.
"Daddy...stop...I...can't...breathe." Dru spoke through laughter.
Draco said something under his breathe and waved his wand. Dru immediately took a deep breath, with slight giggles. Hermione looked at Draco silently inquiring what was going on.
"I was showing her some pictures from our youth and she told me I looked like a ferret." Draco said trying to look offended, "So I may have put at a tickling spell on her.
Hermione had to place a hand over her mouth to keep from full on laughter.
"Don't you start," Draco pointed his wand at his wife, causing her to laugh harder, "I believe she might of been put up to this. She is no longer allowed to spend time with Red."
Scorpious looked at his sister, "Why is dad so upset?"
"Well," Hermione started.
"Don't you dare. One child making fun of me is enough," Draco crossed his arms like a petulant child.
Hermione shook her head and continued her story, "Our fourth year of Hogwarts your father was turned into a ferret by one of the professors."
She was full on belly laughing now, followed by Dru. Scorpius stared open mouth at his father, "Seriouly?"
"Yes," Draco took a deep breath "Not one of my better moments."
Scorpius looked puzzled, "Professors can do that?"
"No," Hermione said through giggles. "It is a long story. Things were very different. Doesn't make the memory any less funny though."
"Could I see the memory?" Scorpius gasped at the realization that he could use the pensive and see it first hand.
"Sure," Hermione stated as Draco shouted, "No, absolutely not."
Hermione broke into more hysterical laughter and just winked at Scorpius.
"Can we please leave for the Manor before my Mother comes looking for us?" Draco desperately tried to change the subject. At Hermione's nod he shrunk their things and placed them in his pocket.
Draco grabbed Dru's hand and stepped into the fireplace. As he grabbed the floo powder Dru grinned at her brother, "Ready when you are ferret." Causing everyone to break into laughter again,except Draco.
Draco shook his head trying to be angry. "Malfoy Manor" and they were gone.
"Your next Scorp." Hermione held out the floo powder.
"Will you show me sometime?" Scorpius asked. At his Mother's short nod he grinned and disappeared.
Hermione walked the quarters one last time before extinguishing the lights. She stepped into the fire place and stated her location.
Hermione stepped out of the fire place to find the room empty. She could hear Scorpious speaking excitedly and followed the sound. She walked through the door that lead to the main parlor. Narcissa was sitting in her high back chair listening to every word Scorpius was saying while holding Dru in her arms. It was a sight that never got old. Hermione just stood there and smiled. Draco walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"Did you ever think you would see my mother look like this?" Hermione shook her head and turned to face her husband.
"I absolutely love seeing her like this. It brings me great joy." she leaned up and kissed her husband.
"Why dont you two go to your suite and rest. I am going to take the children shopping for some last minute gifts." Narcissa interrupted the two adults.
"Thank you Mother, but that isn't necessary. I was planning to take them tomorrow." Draco started.
"I insist. I want to spend some time with my grandchildren. And I know the two of you do not get much time together during the school year." Narcissa winked and grabbed Dru's hand. "We will be back in time for dinner. Better yet the two of you will meet us atClos Maggiore at seven thirty." With that she turned and walked out the door with Dru followed by Scorpius.
Hermione just laughed as she heard the floo roar to life. "Well I guess we have been banished."
"Yes, well we do have the issue of you sharing embarrassingchildhood moments with my children to deal with." Draco said as he grabbed her two trunks and headed towards the stairs.
Hermione started laughing and followed him up the stairs.
Precisely at seven thirty Hermione and Draco walked in the door at Clos Maggiore. Themaitre d walked quickly to the couple.
"Mr. Malfoy, madame, we are so happy to see you. Your mother said you would be joining us this evening. Follow me," with a curt nod he headed into the restauranttoward the Malfoy table.
As they were seated and served wine the maitre d nodded and walked away.
"This seem like a set up by my mother," Draco smirked at Hermione.
Hermione grinned, "Actually it was set up by me. Your mother just helped."
"Why do I let it surprise me when you pull off a very Slytherin thing?" Draco kissed her hand, "So has the whole day been a scheme."
"Possibly, I owled your mother several days ago and told her that I needed some alone time with you. Then we came up with our plan." She smile slyly. "I needed to get you alone because I wanted to give you a gift privately."
"Well you definitelydid that earlier." she swatted his arm and laughed.
"Not that kind of gift," she said as she handed him a small bag.
Draco eyed her cautiously and took the bag. Hermione just grinned. Draco reached in the bag and pulled a small green cloth from the bag; as he unfolded it his eyes watered.
"Are you serious?" Draco inhaled deeply.
"Yes," Hermione teared up, "Our newest Slytherin will be here in August."
Draco could not contain his excitement and got up from the table and grabbed Hermione into a hug, "Does Mother know?"
"No, you are the first person I have told." Hermione laughed as he placed her feet back on the ground and she returned to her seat.
After dinner they walked in comfortable silence holding hands as they made theirway to the apparition point. Hermione watched Draco as they walked.
"Are you really excited? I wasn't sure how you would feel."
"I am elated. I want to shout it from the roof tops. There has not been multiple births in a Malfoy home for hundreds of years. As soon as an heir was born there was no concern for that. I can't wait to share with Mother and the children."
"Well then husband you should take us home." Hermione said as she grabbed his arm.
Just before walking in the door of the manor Hermione grabbed Draco's arm. He stopped and met her eyes.
"I love you to the stars and back." she smiled at him, "I could not be happier than I am with our family."
Draco swept her into his arms and kissed her deeply. "Thank you for giving me a family and my redemption. Now let's go make my Mother's year, after we play with them a little." He winked at her as he reached for the door.
As they stepped into the manor they could hear Dru's giggle from the parlor. "Grandmother, please tell us more," Scorpius said.
"Mother," Draco sharply spoke, "What are you telling my children about?"
"Daddy, did the peacocks really chase you," Dru hiccuped, "Are you still afraid of them?"
Hermione placed her hand over her mouth to hide the laugh that was about to escape, "Is this pick on Daddy day? When do we get to talk about Mum's fuzzy hair?
Hermione slapped his arm and smiled. Narcissa stood from her chair kissing Hermione on the cheek, "Did you two have a good day?"
"Yes, thank you Mother. It was much needed" Hermione looked at Draco.
"Thank you Mother, it was lovely to get to spend some time with my wife." Draco smiled at Hermione. "We do need to speak to all of you."
Scorpius looked worried, while Dru just straighten her robes and jumped to the couch. Narcissa searched each of their faces before taking a seat next to her granddaughter.
"Well, don't keep us waiting," Narcissa smirked.
Hermione cleared her throat and started to speak, "Well your father and I have been talking quite frequently about how little time we spend together. So I have decided that I am going to take a year off from teaching."
"What?" Scorpius yelled catching the attention of everyone in the room. "Why would you do that? You are one of the best teachers at Hogwarts. You definitely don't bore us to tears. Besides I think we handle things very well."
"I thought you would be happy to have your parent out of Hogwarts." Hermione blinked several times trying to process what was being said to her.
"Absolutely not, Beside it makes it easier for Headmistress to reach you." Hermione laughed as Scorpius continued, "The only thing better would be if Father would take a position there as well. Beside I thought you might tell us you were having another baby."
Hermione chocked and started coughing. Draco looked at Scorpius, "Why would you think your Mum would be having a baby?"
"I just remember the way she was before you told me about Dru. She has excused herself from class several times because the smells have overwhelmed her." Scorpius shrugged.
"Do you mean to tell me I am to be a Grandmother again," Narcissa spoke for the first time since the exchange began.
Hermione nodded. "Yes, I am having another child. I wasn't actually planning to leave Hogwarts. I will miss a few weeks at the begining of term next year because of the baby. And I will be altering my schedule, but nothing major."
Everyone was chatting excitedly about the new baby, when Draco noticed Dru was sitting quietly looking at her hands.
"My princess, what is wrong?" Draco grabbed his daughter and placed her in his lap.
Tears welled up in Drucilla's eyes. "I will not be grandmother's baby anymore. And Mummy will have a new baby. Daddy will you still love me?"
It was Scorpius that answered before anyone else could, "DruBee, everyone will love you just as much as always. I was scared when Daddy and Mum told me I was going to be a big brother. I didn't want to be a big brother. I didn't want you to take my place, but you know what I learned?" Dru shook her head no, "I learned that no one can ever run out of love. It grows each time we let someone in our hearts. It is magic. And I love being a big brother, even when we don't get along. The love in my heart grew when you were born, and your love will grow, too. Plus you won't be the baby any more, you will get to big kids stuff."
"Like ride on a broom?" She looked at her mum.
Perfect little slytherin that one is, "I'm sure your Father will help you with that."
Dru cheered, "Can the baby be a girl, I think one brother is enough."
"Hey," Dru just giggled at her brother.
"Well, I just saw a healer this week. She told me I could do the spell here today to find out. Shall we?"
"How many surprises do you have for us? Are you sure you weren't in Slytherin?"
"Muggle born remember." She laughed and completed the spell waving the wand over her abdomen.
A gold light poured over her belly, swirling around it started to change color. The air in the room seemed to shift, Dru grabbed her Father's hand. Then the light burst in two, one pink and one blue.
Hermione gasped, Narcissa sat on the couch quickly, and Draco just stared where the light had been.
Scorpius was the first to speak, "What does that mean, it was like it couldn't decide if it was a girl or a boy."
Hermione whispered, "Twins."