Christmas Eve – Malfoy Manor.
Hermione Malfoy looked around the large front room of Malfoy Manor and sighed with relief. The celebrations for Scorpius' first birthday were nearly over and it had gone without a hitch. Initially she had been wary of her family and her friends spending the afternoon together but so far it had been successful. Hermione had insisted that Charlie Weasley and Luna Lovegood were present at the celebration because Charlie was Scorpius' godfather and the pair were her best friends.
It was only the third time that Charlie and Luna had been in the presence of her entire family, the other two being her wedding day and Scorpius' christening. On both previous occasions they hadn't actually spent any time in close proximity to her family but today was a small gathering. Apart from Hermione's family the only other people present apart from Charlie and Luna were Theo and Pansy Nott and their daughter, Jasmine.
While Hermione had spent days worrying about the potential disaster, it had never materialised. Luna seemed totally oblivious to the Death Eaters surrounding her and had spent most of her time talking to Hermione and Pansy. Charlie had also avoided most of her family by spending the afternoon with Draco and Theo, telling them about the new dragons in his sanctuary.
Charlie and Draco had become good friends over the years since the end of the war. Draco had been grateful to the redhead for not abandoning Hermione and taking the time to consider the reasons why she switched sides in the war. For his part Charlie had given the former Slytherin a chance after witnessing the love he had for Hermione, just a few minutes in the couples presence revealed how in love they were.
Lost in thought Hermione hadn't noticed anyone had approached her until a hand touched her shoulder. Spinning round she found Theo and Pansy standing behind her.
"We're off, Hermione." Theo said, smiling at his friends wife. "We have to get this one to bed." He ruffled his daughter, Jasmine's hair as she stood in front of her parents.
"Hey." The three year old protested, batting at Theo's hand. "Do we have to go Aunt 'Mione?" She pouted turning to Hermione. While Hermione normally hated her name being shortened, Jasmine couldn't pronounce her full name so she let the little girl use the a shortened version.
"Yes. It's Christmas tomorrow and little girls who don't go to bed, don't get any presents." Hermione said, scooping Jasmine up into her arms.
As Jasmine was Draco's goddaughter she saw a lot of her and Hermione had come to love her and she considered the small girl as another part of her large family. The idea of no presents seemed to work on Jasmine and she stopped protesting over leaving.
"Don't worry darling, we'll be back soon." Pansy told her daughter as Theo took her from Hermione. "See you later, Hermione." She said, turning her attention from her husband and daughter to her friend.
"Bye Pansy." Hermione hugged the raven haired witch. After promising Draco to make an effort with Hermione, Pansy had found the former Gryffindor surprisingly easy to get along with and the two women were now good friends.
After Hermione had said goodbye to the Nott's, she wandered over to where Luna was sitting. Sitting down next to the blonde Hermione followed her eye line to see what had Luna so entranced. Hermione smiled when she realised her friend was watching Charlie, the pair had just started dating after being friends for a few years. Despite the age gap and massive personality difference their relationship seemed to be going well and Hermione was thrilled that her two best friends had found happiness.
"Hi Luna. Are you having fun?" Hermione asked her friend.
"Yes, it's a good party." Luna said.
"Good. But I actually meant were you having fun ogling Charlie?" Hermione said mischievously, having an entire family of Slytherins was starting to rub off on her.
"I'm not ogling." Luna blushed. "I'm merely observing."
"Sure." Hermione laughed and after a short pause Luna joined in.
"What are you two laughing at?" Charlie asked, unexpectedly arriving at Luna's side.
"Nothing." Hermione smiled.
"We have to get going, we're going to see the twins tonight." Charlie said.
"Thank you for coming, both of you." Hermione said as Luna stood up to leave with Charlie.
"You're welcome. I wasn't going to miss my godson's first birthday." Charlie said, hugging Hermione and giving her a peck on the cheek.
"Happy Christmas, Hermione." Luna said, hugging her friend goodbye.
Hermione spent another few minutes saying goodbye to her friends and showing them to the door before returning to the front room and her family.
Hermione was unsurprised to find her son sitting on Bella's lap pulling at the witch's long hair. Despite Draco's aunt insisting she wasn't maternal and was no good with children, Scorpius loved her and the feeling was entirely mutual. Out of the whole extended family it was Bella who had the best rapport with the small boy, he would immediately behave like an angel whenever she was present.
Hermione settled down next to Draco, resting her head on his shoulder. Draco immediately wrapped an arm around his wife's waist as he continued to talk to The Dark Lord who was sitting on the other side of him. Snuggled next to Draco, Hermione watched as her family enjoyed Scorpius' birthday and Christmas Eve.
While Scorpius sat on Bella's knee playing with her hair, Narcissa was sitting next to her sister talking quietly and occasionally stroking her grandson's soft blond hair. Lucius and Severus were sitting by the fire deep in discussion while Draco and Voldemort were talking about replacing the French Minister for Magic as the current one wanted to retire.
Hermione sat next to Draco, watching her family for nearly half an hour before her husband moved to take Scorpius off his aunt.
"It's time for this little monster's bedtime." Draco said, pulling his son into his arms. Hermione smiled at the sight of her husband and son together, Draco was a great father and spent lots of time with Scorpius.
"We should be off as well." Voldemort said as he stood up. "We'll see you all tomorrow."
While Draco took Scorpius up to bed, Hermione stayed behind to say goodbye to her family. Severus also decided to leave with Voldemort and Bella. Once there was just Hermione and Draco's parents in the room, Hermione said goodnight and followed her husband up to their wing of the Manor.
Hermione headed straight to Scorpius' nursery, stopping in the doorway to the en-suite bathroom. Draco was giving Scorpius his bath, at least Hermione thought that's what was happening. It looked more like her husband and son were just splashing water around and playing. Leaving her two boys to play, Hermione turned and headed towards her and Draco's bedroom.
Heading into the bathroom, Hermione started to run a relaxing bath. Once the large tub was filled, with plenty of vanilla scented bubbles as well as steaming hot water, Hermione got into the bath. Hermione lay with her eyes shut, relaxing for a while before she heard Draco enter the room.
"Is he asleep?" Hermione asked without opening her eyes.
"Yes, I think all the excitement has worn him out." Draco replied, looking at his wife lying in the large bathtub.
Hermione murmured a response but continued to relax in her bath. She didn't open her eyes until she heard the clanking of Draco's belt buckle. Turning her head to the side, she watched as her husband started to undress.
Hermione's eyes scanned over Draco's torso, looking at the handful of scars from his two near death encounters with the Sectumsempra curse. Hermione's eyes travelled lower as Draco pulled off his trousers and underwear.
"Enjoying the view are we?" Hermione looked up at Draco to find a smug smirk plastered over his face as he noticed where Hermione's attention had been.
"It's okay, I suppose." Hermione shrugged, settling back into the water and shutting her eyes.
Draco tutted and stalked towards the bathtub, he then moved Hermione slightly so that he could climb in behind her. Settling into the warm water, Draco moved Hermione so she was settled in front of him. Hermione settled into her husband's embrace as he started to kiss her neck and shoulders.
Hermione moaned softly when Draco's hands started to wander over her body while he kept peppering her neck with soft kisses. Draco smirked into Hermione's neck when his wife moaned louder as his right hand slipped between her legs while his left played with one of her breasts. Hermione's moans of pleasure got louder as Draco's talented fingers worked between her legs, and it didn't take long before her orgasm washed over her.
Draco let Hermione recover for a few minutes before he stood up and got out of the bath, holding out his hand for Hermione he helped his wife out of the bath as well. Before Hermione had a chance to reach for a towel, Draco had picked her up and was carrying her to their bed.
"You're going to get the bed wet." Hermione said, not really caring as Draco placed her on the bed.
"We can dry it or change it." Draco said, climbing onto the bed and hovering over Hermione.
Hermione pulled Draco down on top of her, forgetting all about the wet bed as her husband made love to her.
Christmas Eve – Boston, U.S.A.
Nymphadora Tonks sat in the corner of a muggle café, looking around warily. It wouldn't have been her choice of place to meet but the man she was meeting had picked the place and Tonks was too eager to see him to argue with the choice of meeting place.
For the last couple of years, Tonks had secretly being investigating the magic stripping potion that Voldemort had administered to her friends. She had been doing her research as secretly as possible so that Voldemort or any of his followers didn't get wind of what she was doing. Tonks hadn't even confided in the small handful of Order members that had kept their magic, she didn't want to involve anyone until she sure there was a cure to the potion.
A year ago, Tonks had discovered the name of the wizard who had created the potion for Voldemort. She debated about going to see him but eventually decided against it, she had no idea whether he was a genuine supporter of Voldemort or he was being threatened into doing his bidding. Either way Tonks decided it was safer not to visit him.
During her research Tonks must have left a trail somewhere because two months ago a wizard called, Alexander, contacted her. He claimed to have worked with the wizard who had created the potion years ago. Tonks wrote back to him and for the past few weeks they had been corresponding. Even in the current wizarding world there were still people who were unhappy about Voldemort's victory but they were too smart to object and too afraid to go against the dark wizard. Once Tonks was convinced the man was genuine in his offer of help and really wasn't a supporter of Voldemort she asked to meet and he had suggested the time and place.
Tonks checked the time, wondering if the man was actually going to show up as he was currently ten minutes late. Tonks decided she would wait for another ten minutes before she gave in and returned home. She wasn't particularly happy about leaving Teddy on Christmas Eve anyway, he was with Fred and George and she had told the twins she was doing some last minute Christmas shopping.
Looking at the door again Tonks watched as a man entered, he immediately started to head her way. He looked to be in his sixties but there was something about him that made Tonks think he was much older.
"Mrs Lupin." The man held out his hand as he reached the table that Tonks was sitting at. "I'm Alexander."
"Hello." Tonks shook the man's hand as he sat down opposite her.
"I must say, you're a very brave woman." Alexander said. "Or a stupid one."
"I prefer brave." Tonks said, not particularly liking the man sitting opposite her.
"I suppose time will tell." Alexander said, shrugging his shoulders. "May I ask what's prompted this rebellion? You'll be in trouble if he finds out."
"I know." Tonks said. She was well aware of how much trouble she could be causing for herself. "As for the rebellion, I've never supported Voldemort."
"Even so, it's still a risky thing for you to be doing." Alexander said.
"Maybe, but it's what I need to do." Tonks explained. "Things weren't supposed to turn out like this, he wasn't supposed to win."
The man nodded, sharing Tonks' sentiments about Voldemort's victory. "I suppose we should get down to business. I'm sure you've got places to be and things to do."
"I have." Tonks nodded. "You said you could help me, can you?"
"I believe so. I was working with Miguel when he first started dabbling with the magic stripping potion. I believe I can come up with a cure."
"That's excellent." Tonks said, smiling widely. "When can you do this?"
"That's the problem." Alexander said. "I'll need a sample of blood from someone who has taken the potion."
"How am I supposed to get you that?" Tonks asked.
"That's not my problem." Alexander said. "I'll willingly help you, but I need the blood before I can start work on the antidote."
Tonks sat, thinking about how she could get the blood sample that the wizard sitting in front of her needed. She knew where every member of the Order was located in the muggle world but she hadn't planned on approaching them until she had the cure for them. She had already developed a memory spell that she was fairly certain would work and trigger the memories of their past lives.
"I'll see what I can do." Tonks said eventually. "I'll be in touch when I have news."
"Very well." Alexander said, standing up. "Good luck, I hope to hear from you soon."
Tonks said goodbye to the wizard and sat thinking for several minutes before she stood up and wrapped herself up before exiting the café into the bitter cold. Tonks had decided to head into town and pick up a couple of extra toys for Teddy before she went home, if she decided he had too much for Christmas she could save some for the following month and Teddy's third birthday.
After Tonks had finished her shopping she headed for a nearby wizarding community so she could apparate home. On her way to the wizarding community she walked through a small park in a muggle neighbourhood. Tonks was so lost in thought she failed to notice the man walking in her direction, until she walked straight into him.
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Tonks said, as she barrelled head first into the man.
"It's alright." The man said, steadying Tonks as she crashed into him.
Tonks' head whipped up at the sound of the man's voice, she would recognise that voice anywhere even though the owner of it was dead. Tonks stared in shock as she looked into the bright green eyes of Harry Potter.
"Harry." Tonks exclaimed, shocked by his presence in muggle America.
"Sorry, you must have me confused with someone else." Harry said.
Tonks watched stunned, as Harry smiled at her and carried on walking past her. Tonks carried on watching Harry as he headed out of the park and into a nearby house. Tonks stood in shock for several minutes, surely she had been hallucinating. Harry was dead, but Tonks could have sworn that the man she had just bumped into was the boy who lived.
Her mind still swirling with the images of Harry living as a muggle, Tonks headed to the nearby wizarding community where she promptly apparated home to her son.
