It was a sunny day, the breeze blew softly through the open window, making the pink curtains dance in the sunlight. An owl sat on the edge of the window, pecking at the curtains when the wind brought them close enough. A young girl sat on the edge of the bed, holding crumpled parchment in her hand, softly sobbing. She was facing the window, and each time the breeze blew in, it ruffled her curly hair. She sniffed slightly and wiped her nose with her right hand.
"Darling, have you finished packing?" An older woman knocked on the doorway of the room, sticking her head in. Her hair - the same curls, but a darker color.
"Rose?" She spoke again, frowning at her daughters entered in and walked around the bed. The little girl looked up, tears in her eyes. She sniffed again and wiped them away, looking down at the floor.
"Rose? What is it?" Hermione sat next to her daughter, immediately wrapping an arm around her.
"He never wrote," the little girl mumbled out, raising the paper in her hand. "He said he would but he never did," she spoke a little louder. "I wrote him, I always write him b-but he promised this time a-and -" she shook her head and the tears began again.
"Who, honey?" Hermione pulled her daughter into a hug and the younger girl buried her face into Hermione's mumbled something Hermione couldn't understand.
"What?" Hermione pulled back slightly and Rose looked up. She bit her lip and frowned, as if she were debating weather or not to share what troubled her. Hermione brushed the tears from her daughters cheeks, anxious to know who caused them.
"Scorpious," Rose looked down, still clutching the parchment in her left hand.
"Malfoy?" Hermione's eyebrows shot up. "Scorpious Malfoy?"Rose just nodded, still looking down."Darling," Hermione lifted her daughters chin. "What exactly did he promise?" She smiled slightly.
"He promised to write me this summer. " She blinked and her chin quivered. "But he never did.""Oh Rose," Hermione embraced her daughter into a hug, a small smile on her face.
"He's a boy. They disappoint sometimes." She brushed Rose's curly hair. "I don't remember your father ever writing me. Even when we got older. "
"Please don't tell daddy," Rose jerked back from the hug, her eyes wide. "I know he doesn't like Slytherin, and -"
"Don't worry. " Hermione cut her off, brushing hair from her face. "It'll be our secret, I promise," Rose relaxed a bit and Hermione pulled her back into the hug.
"So, you like him?" Hermione let out a small laugh.
"Mom," Rose buried her face into Hermione's shoulder.
"Is he a good student?" Hermione pressed and Rose pulled back, straightening her dress
"Yes," Rose groaned. "He's so competitive."
"Does he like you?"
"No, apparently not. " Rose huffed. "He's always teasing me about my hair," she smoothed a hand over her curls. Hermione smiled.
"Finish packing and we'll do your hair tomorrow before we leave. We'll see what he has to make fun of then," she smiled and Rose's eyes lit up.
"Promise?"
"Promise," Hermione gave her daughter a kiss on the head and left her to finish packing.
****
Children running.
Children screaming and laughing.
Draco Malfoy groaned as a group of boys ran by him, each and every one knocking into him. He turned to his left where his son stood by him, quiet, calm, his eyes searching the crowds for a familiar face. He was dropping Scorpious off for Hogwarts without Astoria because this had turned into their little father and son tradition.
"Have you got everything?" Draco spoke and Scorpious turned his attention to his father, snapping out of his zoned out gaze.
"Yes father," he let out a laugh, "Mum has packed everything I own into two suitcases."
"Now Scorpious," Draco grinned, "You know how she gets," he extended an arm and drew Scorpious closer.
"I know," Scorpious mumbled against his fathers robes, giving him a hug.
"Behave," Draco whispered and let out a laugh. "No more owl's from Professor Longbottom."
"Hey, that was not my fault," Scorpious pulled away, a smile on his face. "Rose was the one who went into the -"
"Scorpious," Draco warned.
"Yeah, I know. Stay out of trouble." Scorpious looked down, and grabbed his bag and robes.
****
"Oh Ronald," Hermione exclaimed. "Doesn't it feel as if we were doing this not even yesterday?"
"Don't remind me," Ron groaned. "Come on Hugo, we'll get a trolley."
Hermione smiled at her husband, and brushed Hugo's hair as he followed his father. She turned to Rose who was too quiet, an uncomfortable look on her face. She was looking around, and she brushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Rose?" Hermione smiled and hugged her daughter. "You ready?" she rubber her shoulder but Rose kept staring off ahead.
Hermione followed her gaze and locked in on two figures. Draco Malfoy and his son, who was a spitting image of Draco at that age. Draco was hugging him and Scorpious was laughing at something, shaking his head 'NO'. Draco laughed as well, and Hermione froze.
Long gone was the bitter boy with the permanent smirk plastered on his face. What she saw was a man who loved and cared for his son. Who showed the sort of public affection Lucious never displayed.
"Go on," Hermione nudged Rose, and they began walking towards the train. "Keep me updated," Hermione hugged her. "On everything," she whispered in Rose's ear who blushed and pushed her much sleeker hair over her shoulders.
"Take care of your sister," Ron patted Hugo on the shoulder and Rose let out a laugh.
"Bye dad," she hugged her father as Hugo hugged Hermione and they boarded the train. Rose waved out the window and Hermione blew a kiss at her, winking secretly.
"There's Harry!" Ron turned to the end of the platform as he waved and stalked off, "Harry!"
Hermione watched the train pull away and smiled to herself. She turned her attention towards her husband, but he was already halfway down the platform towards Harry.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a tall dark figure facing the train, his back to her.
****
"You know," he heard a soft, feminine voice. "I would have thought you'd teach your son more manners then you had at his age."
"Pardon?" Draco turned his attention to the short figure that sneaked up on his side and smirked.
"I don't appreciate your son making my daughter cry, already." Hermione couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Ah, the lovely Rose," Draco nodded and turned his attention back to the tracks. "That's all we've been hearing about all summer. Rose this, Rose that," he let out a small laugh. "I started out making you cry way before he did Rose."
"Not for the same reasons, Draco," she frowned.
"Mmm," Draco hummed and straightened up, the smile on his face disappearing. "What did he do?" He turned his body to face her and she stumbled a bit, taken back by his towering appearance over her.
"He promised her he'd write this summer, and he never did," Hermione couldn't help the smile that broke out over her face.
Before Draco could reply, Ron walked up and slipped his arm around Hermione.
"Malfoy," he greeted, his eyes serious.
"Weasley," Draco nodded and his gaze briefly flickered to Hermione before he turned and made his way back off the platform.