Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"They'll be arriving shortly, I trust you three can manage to stay out of trouble long enough for your parents to arrive." The sharp voice of an aged Headmistress McGonagall sounded as the three students sat in her office looking particularly guilty.
The headmistress groaned inwardly. She loved her former students and held them in great regard, that is, until they need to come in together to speak about the three in front of her. She didn't know if she could handle another meeting. Shuffling her papers, the older witch glanced sternly at the three fourth year students in question, and almost smiled at the familiarity of it all.
Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy were practically mirror images of their fathers. Albus had the same unruly hair and the same brilliant green eyes. He had grown out of his insecurities, perfectly happy being ever the Slytherin with his partner in crime. He was a particularly bright student in Potions, and had his fathers ability to let trouble pat him on the back during every term. His quiet nature quite reminiscent of Harry, and opposite from his outgoing brother James – who was much like his mother Ginny in that he was a bit of a spitfire. Both Potter boys had especially inherited the -sometimes blind- loyalty of their parents.
To the right of Albus was his surprising choice of a best friend, Scorpius Malfoy. If it weren't for the pony-tailed hair, one could say that Draco Malfoy's fourteen year old self had returned to Hogwarts to wreck havoc. His friendship with Albus had a shaky start and Minerva had at first feared that a war between the two would erupt much like it had with their fathers. It was to her surprise that after a particularly frightening detention with Professor Firenze in their first year that the two became joined at the hip. She still wondered sometimes what the old centaur did to cause such an unlikely bond. The friendship that Scorpius had with Albus made him a much kinder student and although the arrogant airs of a Malfoy were still there, he was nothing like his father at that age. While that was something to breathe a sigh of relief for, unfortunately, the Malfoy's mischievous nature had rubbed off on the Potter next to him over the years.
Then, there was Rose, the lone Gryffindor of the duo. She was painfully bright, and sought out knowledge much like her mother even if to a lesser degree. She took to others with a gentle yet firm hand, and her charismatic nature was an envy at her age. However, Minerva knew that Gryffindor tower trembled at the fourth years ability to work herself up into a mood. While most times the redhead was cool headed, she was horribly stubborn. Once the child made up her mind, not many could talk her down. It was that stubbornness that caused an uproar when Scorpius was entered into their group, as she took to him regardless of her father's wishes. Minerva looked sadly at her, her thoughts straying to the shift in behavior this year, making a note to ask Hermione about it after their meeting.
She returned to shuffling her papers together, when she heard the turning of the gargoyle. Looking up, she saw the boys faces fall at the sound, whereas Rose shifted in her seat and continued looking out the window. Her reaction made the headmistress frown; Rose usually looked ready to faint when her mother and father were called in.
She would definitely need to speak with Hermione about this.
"ALBUS SEVERUS!"
The headmistress took in a deep breath as Mrs. Potter made her way into the room.
"I'm sorry, Minerva, they did what?" Hermione asked her to repeat herself and Rose gulped as she watched her mothers hands grip the arms of the chair.
"They decided to prank Mr. Filch by turning his private quarters green and red. Then magicked all of his clothes silver and gold and had it dance around the room. Apparently, Mr. Filch had something of theirs, and had confiscated it last week. Ms. Weasley was attempting to retrieve it when they were caught." The headmistress reiterated.
Hermione took a deep calming breath whereas Ginny seemed to be positively seething at that point. She looked over to Harry who looked more like he wanted to laugh, and Draco who looked almost pleasant at hearing the treatment of a man they equally hated in school. She looked at her daughter once more, who avoided her eyes, looking as guilty as described.
"They attempted to steal what is considered Hogwarts property and usually the penalty for this is..." She paused, looking sadly at her former students.
"...suspension from school." Hermione watched as her best friend put a comforting squeeze on his wives shoulder.
"However, seeing as this is a new term, I've decided to be lenient and take their Hogsemeade privledges away. They've also lost 50 house points from of their respective houses, and will be serving detention every Tuesday and Friday until November."
Three collective gasps could be heard from the students, their eyes growing considerably wider.
"But headmaster-" Scorpius began pleadingly.
"Scorpius Malfoy, finish that sentence and I assure you that the only broom time you'll see is if the house elves need help cleaning." Draco reprimanded instantly. The usually arrogant boy's mouth shut so quickly that his teeth clicked and Harry had to refrain from smiling.
"He's right though, headmistress, please-" Rose began.
"Rose, I assure you that Mr. Malfoy is not the only one who will receive punishment should you decide to continue" Hermione told her curtly, her usually warm brown eyes sending a sharp knowing glare to her daughter. The young girl sat agape at her mother's unusual tone and she nodded, embarrassed that she had been reprimanded like that in front of her friends.
"Now, out with the three of you. I need to speak with your parents alone." Without any hesitation, the three stood up and bolted out of the room.
"Albus, you'd better be right outside of that gargoyle! You do NOT want to know what will happen if I have to look for you after we are done here." Ginny snapped, sounding so much like her mother that Draco rolled her eyes, and Hermione smiled. Harry stared at his son imploringly, as if saying "why do you do this to your old man?"
As the door closed, the headmistress sighed and soon the three Gryffindors in the room felt as if they were children once more, getting in trouble again. Draco looked at the woman as if he were bored already.
"I'm sorry to have to send you to the school after the first infraction, but after last years debacle, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be very firm this year." She said tiredly, looking suddenly older than the moment before. Harry cringed slightly as the memory of his son accidentally turning himself and his two friends into disfigured messes popped into his brain. They had heard about Hermione being able to conjure up a Polyjuice potion from the school ghost. The two boys wanted to impersonate one another while Rose just wanted to prove that she could do the potion like her mother did. It was with those misguided motives that they stole from Professor Zabini's storage and were found in the second floor bathroom just in time to be rushed off to St. Mungo's.
"I know they mean well-" The elderly woman stopped as Draco raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"Most days, anyway… I cannot allow the behavior to continue, especially when they are now idolized by the entire student body as the trio who…" She stopped again and a wiry smile came to her lips.
"Flipped the Filch." Harry and Draco smirked almost in unison, and although Hermione and Ginny tried not to smile as well, the tension in the room was cut substantially.
"Well, as far as we're concerned Prof- I'm sorry- Headmistress, Ginny and I will definitely be talking to Albus. You have our full support on whatever punishment he recieves." Harry assured her, grasping Ginny's hand. The redhead nodded her head, turning afterward to glare at the door where her son had left.
"We'll definitely be doing a lot more than talking to the pest." She told Hermione under her breath. Hermione looked over at Draco who nodded quietly in agreement.
"I'm afraid that's all you can do, they're at that age, I'm afraid." The headmistress said tiredly, standing up. The group of parents stood up as well and formally shook her hand, adjourning their unfortunate meeting.
"You're all more than welcome to join us for dinner tonight as I'm afraid that it is quite late. If not then the floo network will be up until midnight." She informed them, waving in a new batch of students that looked to be the Heads and Prefects. Hermione spotted her godson James in the fray and waved at him.
"Hermione, I'd like to set up a meeting with you and Mr. Weasley sometime this week if your schedule allows." She concluded, walking Hermione and Draco to the door while Harry and Ginny stayed back to hug their eldest son. Draco looked curious as he saw his former classmate stiffen before answering. The fact that she had arrived to the meeting without the man he called "the pitiful red mess" was not lost on him.
"Of course. I'll owl you as soon as I find out my schedule this week." The older witch smiled warmly at her favorite student, and nodded to Draco in goodbye.
Hermione sighed tiredly as they walked out of the Head's office and watched as Draco ran an annoyed hand through his hair.
"Here we are, again." She said pitifully, as they began walking down the spiraling steps.
Draco scoffed, and nodded his head.
"I swear, a part of me wishes corporal punishment on my own son." He grumbled jokingly, causing her to laugh. Her relationship with Draco had been a changed one since their children had become friends. Unlike Ron, she didn't mind it one bit when her daughter wrote to her about her best friend from Slytherin. Also, unlike Ron, she learned to get along with the father of said Slytherin, and actually enjoyed the many times that their children got together outside of school with parents involved.
When they reached the bottom of the steps they saw Albus waiting nervously for his parents. As he leaned against the wall with his eyes wide and his hair a mess, Hermione felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her.
He looks so much like Harry.
She looked around for a second to see that their children had not waited for them. Draco cursed quietly under his breath as he realized the same thing.
"Al, where did he go?" Draco beckoned, the boy jumping slightly in surprise. He looked down in shame and ran his hand through his hair once more.
"Albus, you'd better tell him where Scorpius ran off to before you get in much more trouble." Hermione told him gently, placing a hand on the quiet boys shoulder. His green eyes looked up at her pleading, and if she didn't know any better, it was the exact same look that his father had given her on many occasions. She nodded again.
"I'll tell him your mum forced it out of you under threat of death." Draco offered lazily, and Hermione smiled at his effort.
"That's probably not to far from the truth, Mr. Malfoy. My mum's going to kill me." He said painfully, looking between the two adults. Hermione bit the urge to laugh at how the boy could go from a mischevious little chit to a genuinely shy and innocent boy in a snap.
"Too right, mate. So better you just tell me where he is than me telling your mum that you're withholding the information from me. Be a Slytherin about it. Enough of this Gryffindor rubbish about looking out for one another." Draco drawled, smirking at Hermione who rolled her eyes playfully. Albus smiled at him and a small chuckle released from his lips in relief.
"He's gone to the common room. The password is Bloody Baron." He said finally, a small smile on his lips.
Draco nodded and clapped the boys shoulder in thanks.
"See you at dinner." He said to Hermione before turning quickly to meet up with his son. Hermione nodded without thinking as she hadn't planned on staying until he said that. She turned her attention back to her nephew, and pulled him in for a hug. She felt him look for others in the hallway before clinging onto his aunt dearly.
"Aunt Hermione, I'm sorry. It wasn't Rosie's fault, I swear it. Scorp and I were only supposed to distract Filch while she got father's map but we went overboard and that's why we got caught. She just didn't want us to get into trouble so she took most of the blame." The young boy sounded on the verge of tears when Hermione released him.
"That's no excuse Al, you shouldn't have done it in the first place. Rose knows better as well." She stopped to see his devastated face and felt a little sorry for him. Hermione knew that Ginny could be a bit intimidating much like the Weasley matriarch had been when they were fourteen. He nodded and she rubbed his back until seeing the gargoyle turn once more, signaling his parents arrival. She felt him stiffen once more and squeezed his shoulder.
"Where is Rose, anyway?" She asked him.
He pointed down the hall, towards the library.
"I guess you can't scream at her in the library, eh, Aunt Mione?" He joked lamely, his smile vanishing as quickly as it came. She smirked at him, a gleam in her eye that was very much unlike her.
"Oh Albus, if that really is her reasoning, then I'm sorry to tell you that your cousin is very misinformed." She told him wickedly, her voice quiet. Harry stepped up next to them, his green eyes glaring at his son lightly before turning to Hermione.
"I'm afraid we can't stay for dinner in the Great Hall-" He paused to look at his son.
"I don't think it would be a good idea for your mother to be around you for too long." He told him vaguely, the young boy gulping audibly.
"Ah, Draco is staying and I guess I will as well. No sense in cooking a meal at home when you can have one at Hogwarts." She told him warmly. He looked around as if only realizing now that Rose and Scorpius were not with them. Hermione cut him off before he had a chance to ask.
"Apparently, Scorpius thought he'd get a head start on Draco and run to the dungeons and my daughter thinks that her mother is incapable of giving her a proper talking to if she's in the library." She informed him, slowly growing a bit irritated. Harry grinned at her and shook his head.
"She's not as brilliant as they say if that's what she thinks." He commented, remembering all too well when he had been in school. Hermione smirked, shrugging.
"Apparently." Harry looked over at Albus before answering.
"Well, I'll walk you to the library, give Albus some alone time with his mother. Seems fitting, seeing as his father is the one who will have to hear about it all night and all day for the next week. Whereas my son will only get an earful for the next hour." Albus turned another pale shade of white before nodding and Hermione gave him a look of pity.
"I'll see you at dinner Al, be sure to say goodbye to your favorite aunt before you go to the dungeons tonight." She told him, taking Harry's arm as he led her away from the boy.
Once they turned the corner and were out of earshot Harry let out a laugh. Hermione stopped and smiled at him, shaking her head.
"They're brilliant. They really are, Merlin, I wish I could've seen Filch's face." He said wistfully, his green eyes shining brightly. Hermione laughed a little and punched his shoulder lightly.
"Stop it. Just because it's funny doesn't make it right." He nodded, his laughs continuing as they walked down the hall arm in arm. She smiled at him and took in the castle reminiscing about the days when they used to walk these halls.
So many good memories. She thought to herself. When they reached the second to last turn before reaching the library she jumped at the realization that Harry was snapping his fingers in front of her face.
"Still here?" He asked playfully. She nudged him, nodding.
"Sorry, just thinking." He nodded, looking thoughtful before quickly pulling her into one of the abandoned classrooms.
"Harry-"
"How've you been?" She tensed instantly, knowing how much deeper the question actually was.
Not here, not minutes before I talk to Rose.
"Harry, please, we can talk about this later. It's really just-" She stopped when he glared at her for lying to him and she was reminded why she'd been avoiding everyone, especially Harry. She let out a long breath and slid atop the table, her head in her hands and her feet dangling off the edge. He didn't understand how hard it was to talk to any of them without thinking about the entire situation. Harry wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back, much like she had done to Albus earlier. She stiffened under his touch at first, and gradually relaxed, hoping she wouldn't cry.
"Does he know about today?" He asked quietly, allowing her to tuck her head under his chin. She nodded, slowly.
"I owled him as soon as I found out. He said he wouldn't be able to make it to the school, but that he would owl her tomorrow." Her voice sounded bitter and she almost didn't recognize it. Harry clenched his jaw, reminding himself that he would not bad mouth his wifes brother at the moment.
"I just, what if Rose…this is all my fault. She's going through so much and I can't get my own daughter to talk to me about it. I shouldn't have pushed her to go back to school after they had just found out. Hugo was okay, he was ready to go back, but Rosie...my Rose…" She trailed off, and Harry hugged her tighter.
"Hey, we talked about it, remember? They had to get back to a normal routine after Ron left. I know it was only a couple weeks before school started, but it wouldn't do you or them any good to make everything else irregular."
She shook her head defiantly into his robes.
"I could've held them back a little to help them heal. It's like I just…shipped them off to deal with it on their own."
Harry shushed her patiently, shaking his head and mentally cursing her soon to be ex-husband.
"Even being here…there's so many memories of us. I just…" She trailed off, the two best friends staying like that until they heard footsteps approaching.
Outside of the classroom, Rose Weasley stood in one of the dark alcoves in the hallway listening to her mother talking to her Uncle Harry through an extendable ear. Luckily for Rose, Scorpius kept one with him at all times being the sneak that he was. It was when Rose felt guilty for leaving Albus and made her way back to the gargoyle that they saw her Uncle pull her mum into the classroom.
She bit her nails as her she looked down at the extendable ear, looking at Scorpius every now and then for assurance. He gave none. Instead, Scorpius looked at her as if he shouldn't be hearing Mrs. Weasley crying to Albus Potter's dad like that. He had other things to worry about right now, for he sent his father on a wild goose chase in order to check on Rosie.
He hoped that his lie to Albus had worked and that his father was heading down to the dungeons right now. He mentally groaned at the thought of how peeved the elder Malfoy would be in a half hour.
"Maybe we should get going, Ro-" The Gryffindor glared at him, meaning that he needed to be quiet, and he threw his hands up at her.
"Father's going to bury me ali- OW" He hissed as he felt a sharp flick to the top of his ear. Rose's eyes widened at what (or rather who) was behind his back. Holding the offended ear, his eyes widened as well and he knew his father was standing behind him.
Shit.
"Rose, I suggest you go to library where your mother will expect to find you." Draco drawled, his eyes flashing at the pair. He had heard enough of his ex-classmates conversation to know that it was definitely not something they should be listening to. Rose stood frozen, looking at Scorpius as if she didn't want to leave him alone to get in trouble, and Draco had to roll his eyes at how much the girl looked like her mother in that instant.
"I'm sure your mother would not like it if she found out you were eavesdropping." He reached down and grabbed the extendable ear from her hand, and the girl nodded quickly before giving Scorpius a last look of apology and running down the hall.
Draco looked at the back of his sons head and thought evilly for a second that the best punishment for his son would be to force him to "cut his damned hair." That threat would've made him act a lot differently in school at his age. Scorpius turned around and feigned innocence cause Draco raised an eyebrow at him.
"I don't think I look like Harry Potter so don't try his sons tactics on me." The boy nodded fearfully and Draco stared him down icily causing his son to shift under his gaze. He broke off the glare with a long tired sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Scorpius, what are you doing? I mean really, son, I know it was for that stupid map that James Potter brags about. If you wanted the thing back so badly why'd you go off and make some huge display out of it? AND you dragged Rose Weasley into it? And then you let the girl listen to her mother crying in another room?" The boys head ducked in shame.
"We made a deal, Scor, remember? This year had was going to be different, especially after you three nearly killed yourselves in that stupid Polyjuice potion incident last year. You think this punishment is hard? I'll take away your broom, Scor, and I'll break it in two. The next time I have to come in here, Puddlemere United Camp during the summer is done, you won't be going. On top of that, you can forget about seeing your friends on your holiday if this keeps up." The boy's head shot up and he looked as if he were ready to cry.
Draco softened a bit although he was angry he knew his point had been made. He put a hand on the back of his sons neck and squeezed it lightly.
"I expect better from you." He whispered, pulling his son to him for a quick hug. After a moment, he let go, and clapped his shoulder.
"I'm sorry. Honestly, I am." Scorpius told him as the two began walking down the hall.
"So, what did it look like when the old wart face saw his clothes?" Draco asked under his breath as a group of teachers walked by.
Scorpius smiled and made to answer him when the classroom door opened and Hermione and Harry stepped out. Scorpius ducked his head down once more, not sure whether his father would tell her that they had overheard their conversation. Hermione looked over at Scorpius suspiciously.
"Scorpius, I thought you were supposed to be down at the dungeons."
"His old man isn't as daft as he thinks. He was with Rose in the library." Draco told her, shooting a meaningful look to his son. Hermione made a small noise of disapproval, and Scorpius' face flushed a bit.
"I was just checking on her. I'm sorry we got her into so much trouble Ms. Weasley. It wasn't her fault." He told her lamely, causing Hermione to smile and pat him on the shoulder. Draco rolled his eyes at his son a part of it in amusement and part of it in exasperation.
"Seems like everyone isn't giving Rose her due share of responsibility, even Albus said the same thing." She told Harry who smiled as well.
"Yes, I'm beginning to think the two of them should've ended up in Hufflepuff seeing as they're so damned loyal." Draco joked coolly, saying the last word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. Truth be told, it was times like this when Draco wished he could see Lucius rolling in his grave over his son's lack of a traditional Malfoy-esque attitude. Hermione pulled the boy in for a quick hug and shook her head at the two men.
"Scorpius Malfoy, don't you dare listen to them. You and Albus are becoming gentlemen, don't try to mimic these two old louts." She warned jokingly and the boy reddened but grinned as she let go. Draco rolled his eyes while Harry only laughed.
Hermione walked down the hall, only to hear Draco and Harry start asking Scorpius about what it looked like when Filch found his clothes dancing to greet him. She smiled to herself and shook her head, heading towards her former sanctuary.
I don't think Hogwarts ever thought they'd see that happen.
The anguish Hermione felt faded momentarily as the smell of books reached her senses. A smile slipped over her lips as she was welcomed by the golden sight of the Hogwarts library. After the Final Battle, a lot had to be rebuilt and Hermione had been the one to head up the project. Most people who went through it lovingly called it the Granger library.
She grinned to herself as she remembered the days and nights slaving away studying for her exams. She could see herself in the corners, busily scribbling away research in her second year. She remembered how terrified she'd been to find out that a basilisk had been the reason behind the petrified students or yelling at Harry over his procrastination in the second task during the Triwizard Tournament. She remembered how she buried her tears in here with Madame Pince after Ron and Harry refused to speak to her over the Firebolt she'd gotten taken away.
It didn't take long for her to find Rose. A wave of sadness washed over Hermione as she spotted her daughter sitting at "her" table, staring at the waving portrait on the wall. It had been taken before the war and the Headmistress had it placed in the library after the renovations. In two separate frames were the original members of the Order, and below it were the original members of Dumbledore's Army.
Her daughter was petite, much like her mother and her Aunt Ginny. Her hair was long and thick and while it had been "Weasley Red" at birth, it was now a more subtle auburn shade which currently braided down her back. Hermione admired how confident the her girl was, something she definitely did not have at that age.
My beautiful girl.
She placed a gentle hand on her daughters shoulder, and the girl turned around, startled; her face flushed when she realized it was her mother. Hermione sat across from her, not saying anything at first, and stared at the two photos. The younger witch squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, hating that she disappointed her mother again.
"Mum..." She started. Hermione turned slightly, acknowledging her with a look to continue. Rose felt her face go red again and began to babble.
"Mum, I'm-" She stopped when Hermione reached over and grasped her hands gently, looking searchingly at her daughter's face.
"I love you, Rose. Do you know that?" Hermione asked quietly.
She nodded, her lip quivering as guilt swept through her.
"I love you too, mum." She whispered, cursing herself for causing her mother anymore pain and angry that her voice sounded so small. She had only done it to make her father angry, to get back at him. She had hoped that he'd work himself up over it only for him to be a no show. It hadn't occurred to her that her mother would have to handle everything on her own now. Hermione, cupped her daughter's face gently and smiled sadly, interrupting her daughters mental argument with herself.
"You know, no matter what happens between your father and I, he does love you very much. Even though we aren't together, he'll always be your dad." She said quietly. Rose looked away, her eyes tearing up at the words, and she shook her head.
"I hate him." Rose hissed, her voice cracking slightly, causing Hermione to wince slightly. She turned her daughters head to her once more and had to catch her breath at how much her daughters blue eyes resembled her fathers.
"I won't tell you what to feel Rose, because no one can tell you that but you. I just hope for your sake that you don't let yourself be steered by hate, because you'll be hurting the wrong people. Worse off, if something happens because your trying to get back at your father, the only person you can blame is yourself, and I don't think you want that." She stopped and wiped away the few tears from her daughter's face.
"I don't want you looking in the mirror and seeing a person who has based all of their actions from a misguided hate." She pointed to the pictures on the wall before looking back at her daughter.
"A lot of good people died because of someone who was like that." She finished quietly, her own eyes beginning to tear up. Rose nodded, trying to wipe the tears off of her face as quickly as possible. She hiccupped slightly, and glared at the worried look that the Ron in the picture was giving her, and childishly the young Gryffindor stuck her tongue out at him. Hermione chuckled slightly and shook her head.
Sometimes she's more like the old Ron than she thinks.
Hermione stood up, walking around the table and enveloped her daughter in a tight hug. Rose closed her eyes, feeling instant comfort from her mother, and the pair stood like that for a long time. When Hermione finally broke the embrace, she cupped her daughter's face in both hands and smiled. She tipped her daughter's head upwards and straightened her shoulders, taking on a no nonsense stance.
"This doesn't change the face that your allowance is cut off for the next two months. I really don't think you want to know what your punishment will be if you get suspended. In fact, I don't think you want to know what will happen if I have to return here for anything like this. Do we understand each other?" She told Rose firmly, causing her to smile weakly. Hermione let her go, sighing tiredly as her shoulders dropped once more.
"Good. You know, those boys are the worst Slytherins I've ever met. They both said that you had to be dragged into their little scheme and although I do not condone what you did...I must say, those were rather advanced charms." She commented dryly causing Rose to giggle.
"Thanks mum."
"Next time, focus your energy on something constructive. Although, I'm sure your uncles will have a laugh or two when they hear about your exploits." Hermione scowled slightly as the Fred and George in the photo whooped and cheered causing Rose to smile as the two made their way out of the library.
"I'm sorry, mum. I swear you'll get no bad reports from the headmistress." Rose promised as the walked to the Great Hall. Hermione squeezed her slightly.
"I would think not. If I were you, I'd be expecting a howler from your grandmother." The girl winced but was slightly comforted in the fact that Albus would be receiving one as well.
"Mum? Hey!" Hermione looked up to see her son jogging towards them and smiled as he threw his arms around her.
"Hugo! I swear you've grown so much in only a month." She ruffled his light brown hair before letting him go. She felt oddly at peace being at her true home with her children. The boy grinned up at her and then turned to Rose.
"So the rumor is true then? You really blew up Flich's room!" He asked Rose, sounding horribly in awe of the deed. Hermione laughed as the girl gaped at him in shock and shook her head.
"I see news travels faster than ever in Hogwarts."
Hermione waved at her two children as she made her way to the professor's table where Draco was sitting quietly. She smiled as he stood up and pulled out her chair for her, helping her in before returning to his seat.
"It's good to know there are still some gentleman out in the sea." She joked, watching the students fill into the hall.
"There aren't many left of us. You know, I love how some of them were brought up to apparently have no manners." Draco drawled, looking at the students who were currently whispering and pointing at the two adults in an obvious fashion. Hermione snickered into her napkin slightly, and nodded in agreement while Draco shot them a slight sneer.
"That's Hogwarts." She said cynically, raising her glass at the gossipers, causing them to quickly turn away. Draco tapped his glass against hers, nodding in agreement.
"So, Draco, how are things at your firm?" Hermione asked politely as the food appeared onto the table. He groaned loudly causing her to smile.
"That good, huh?"
He snorted slightly and re-filled her a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Fall interns from the University have just started, and blimey, it's like a stampede of hippogriffs without heads. You'd think they were a bunch of first years with the way they go through cauldrons." He grumbled while Hermione nodded in agreement.
"The emergency ward got their share of fall interns as well, it gets harder to have the patience with them each year. You would think if one signed up to be a healer, they'd be able to stomach the sight of blood." She tipped her cup to him as if to say 'cheers' and he readily agreed, tipping his cup against hers for the second time of the night.
They ate quietly at first, small talk here and there between bites when Lily came running up to the table.
"Aunt Hermione, mum told me to tell you she'll see you tomorrow. She was in a right foul mood before she left, so I think she'll want to unload on you." The girl rambled, causing Hermione to blink at her in confusion before the slur of words made sense. Draco stared at her before shaking his head and returning to his dinner.
"I'm sure she will. Your cousin and your brother-"
"And their idiot friend." Draco added under his breath, causing Hermione to laugh.
"They aren't in either of their mother's good graces tonight." She told her
"Aunt 'Mione, where's Uncle Ron?"
She coughed suddenly on her food and Draco filled her cup once more, watching as she paled at the question. She shot him a look of thanks before taking the juice and soothing her throat. Lily looked at her expectantly, looking exactly like her mother, when Draco smoothly intervened.
"Ms. Potter, I believe there's a lad over there who is vying for your attentions" He pointed out to the Ravenclaw table causing Lily to squeak out a thank you before waving goodbye, her question slipping from her mind as she quickly left. A wave of relief washed over her as she watched the young girl leave distracted.
A thick silence fell upon the two former enemies and Hermione fiddled with the napkin anxiously watching her appetite fly out the window.
"I see that Al's sister has her mother's knack for speaking at a rate which normal humans do not." Draco said finally, continuing to eat. Hermione let out a breath that she didn't realize she had held and smiled warmly.
"That she does." She told him quietly, eating her food although she were no long hungry. He nodded and the awkward silence was replaced with a much more comfortable kind.
Hermione laughed as Scorpius did another impression of their new Divination professor. Privately, she marveled at the similarities in the father and sons appearance. She did note that Draco always looked much happier and much younger when he was around his son. It was amazing how different Scorpius was from his father when his father was in their fourth year, and how much Draco had changed now that he was older. He might be spoiled, a bit of a whiner, and arrogant but he was also funny, charming and genuine.
Rose giggled behind her hand, looking completely content in the conversation amongst her friends and family. It made her mother sad realizing how much she missed her children when they were away at school. They had spent so much time together, just the three of them, before their Hogwarts letters arrived and now she ached to see them when any of the holidays came. It made her wonder how her parents must have felt whenever she would leave early during the summer to be at the Burrow.
A chime from the clock tower rung causing the children around the table to groan, and snapped Hermione out of her thoughts.
"Dad, being that you're a parent, you can extend our curfew for just this one night." Scorpius quipped, turning to his father who shook his head with a smirk, pushing his sons forehead lazily.
"After the charade you caused? Not bloody likely." Draco scoffed, mussing the boys hair until he managed to swat his father's hand away. Albus laughed, causing Scorpius to shove him slightly, muttering something along the lines of 'shut up' and 'prat'.
Hermione turned to her own two children to see a set of brown and blue eyes looking up at her pleadingly. She shook her head, eyebrows raised.
"You two have rather large imaginations if you think that's happening." Hermione scolded lightly, chucking as the two teens made rather long faces. They exchanged embraces, Rose nearly squeezing the life out of her, and promised to write as soon as possible. She waved goodbye to them sadly as James took them to the Gryffindor tower whilst another prefect took the two Slythern's to the dungeons.
She sighed before turning to see Draco looking quite sad as well. He blinked at her dumbly, realizing that she was looking at him, before straightening up. When she smiled at him, he shrugged slightly but nodded in a silent agreement.
They grow up too quickly.
"Fancy a walk?" He offered as they walked towards the Hogwarts entrance hall.
"Fresh air sounds nice."
As they exited the school and onto the grounds of the beloved school, she could feel the chill of the Fall air sweep over them. While she cast a warming spell over them, Draco transfigured their dinner forks into an exquisite silver latern that floated in front of them shedding a dim but helpful light ahead.
"Impressive." She complimented. He nodded in thanks, and the two walked around the familiar school grounds, making small talk about their respective work and other such things.
"It's beautiful tonight."
Just as they made their way to the lake front, she sat down on the slightly damp grass. Draco looked at the grass and at his robes, taking a second to decide if he wanted to join her and soil his robes. The answer made itself clear to him as he saw her starring out ahead looking far sadder than she were before. She was starring afar at the dimly moonlit covered grave for their former headmaster.
With a quiet sigh, he sat down next to her, starring at it as well. The death of Albus Dumbledore was something that would be a heavy memory for him to carry. He closed his eyes, not wanting to look at it any longer, until Hermione's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"You know for all of the places I've been, Hogwarts seems to have the best piece of sky."
He opened his eyes to see the witch was now leaning back onto her elbows looking up at the heavens.
What a strange pair we make, the ex-death eater and the war hero. He told himself, leaning back to look up at the sky, he shook his head as he realized that she was all too right. The sky at Hogwarts couldn't be topped. Without meaning to, his eyes traveled towards her naked hand and his thoughts went to what he overhead Rose and Scorpius listening to earlier.
"Ron and I will be getting a divorce, if you were wondering." Hermione said suddenly, breaking him out of his reverie. He didn't know if she had seen him look at her or if she was just speaking aloud for her eyes were still upward at the sky.
He raised an eyebrow at her in the dark and she took his silence as a means to continue.
"We split about two weeks before the kids needed to go back to school. Not so much split as imploded." She sighed slightly and in that moment had absolutely no qualms about baring her soul to Draco Malfoy. Draco's eyes widened slightly, and he clasped his hands over his stomach, listening. She shook her hair out of her collar and looked up at the sky once more.
"Rose and Hugo will be having a step-mum soon as well. Hugo seems to be taking it alright, although I was a bit surprised when Lily asked about Ron. I assumed he'd have told her by now, seeing as they're so close. Rose on the other hand, I imagine she feels horribly betrayed by Ron…they were always very close, until recently." She stopped and turned to look at him, and Draco suddenly felt unhinged by her sad stare.
"I know that people will think that I knew about the affair and was one of those stupid women who stayed with an asshole for the sake of marriage, but I'm not. I could never be that woman. I knew nothing of it, even though looking back on it there were more than a few big hints out there. I know that there's no such thing as 'out of the blue he cheated'. Rose walked in on her father kissing another woman in her bedroom, a woman who had been in their lives since they were babies. Sick thing is, Draco, up until my daughter ran down stairs screaming bloody murder…" She trailed off and he found himself staring at her face as she looked back up into the sky.
"I thought we were happy. It's a bit disgusting that you can look back after everything is torn apart and realize there was nothing quite whole about it to begin with."
When she ended it felt as if a burden had been lifted off of her and she let out a long breath.
"Who?"
Hermione looked at him blankly, surprised by the sound of his voice after so much silence on his part.
"I mean, who was it? Who's the bugger going to marry?"
She stared at him strangely, and he stared back.
"Does it matter?" Her voice was light, and he nodded.
"Of course it does."
She sighed, and nodded finally, agreeing.
"I guess you're right. It was Lavender. Lavender Finnegan." She told him quietly. Draco fought the urge to make a disgusted face. She was a secretary for one of the directors in the Potions firm.
There was a long, calm silence between them before he finally said something to her.
"I guess I'll be calling you Granger again." He said nonchalantly. Hermione turned to look at him and Draco's jaw clenched as he saw for the first time that night that her smile had reached her eyes. The unhinged feeling hit him once more as the private smile she shared with him seemed to knock the wind out of him. She fell back onto the grass, laying down completely and laughing genuinely.
"I guess you can, Malfoy. I guess you can."
A/N: This is my first Fan Fic, and I hope everyone enjoys it and reviews! I've finished chapters 2 and 3 and will be posting them in the next few days. Please, please review! I'd really like all the feedback I can get. Thank you!- Alyssa
(Update 3/29/11) - I'm editing all of the chapters before adding on the newest one. Thank you to all of the readers and reviewers who are still interested in this story. - Alyssa