A/N: This is just a story that's been asking me to write it for awhile now…I hope you like it! Reviews, criticisms, and ideas are welcome!
Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling and I don't own any of the characters…you would know if I did because Sirius, Lupin, Fred and Dobby would ALL still be alive.
Draco was sitting in the library staring listlessly at the book spread across his lap. He had read the same page three times and still had no idea what it was about. Giving up, he tossed the book aside and rose to his feet…perhaps the nightmares wouldn't invade his head if he took a nap during the day. As Draco walked towards his room, he heard voices coming from his mother's sitting room…his heart started racing and fear coursed through his body…he rushed into the room with his wand drawn. "Mother! Mother, who's there with…" Draco's words died in his throat as he came face-to-face with his mother's guest.
Narcissa turned towards her son, "Draco, this is your Aunt Andromeda…and this is your cousin Teddy."
Draco stared at the woman and child in shock; he had never met his "blood traitor" aunt and he had not realized he had a cousin…his initial shock at her resemblance to Bellatrix faded as he took a closer look at the woman. She was quite tall and shared Bella's dark features but her eyes were much kinder and missing the madness of Bella's. His eyes then traveled to the baby in his aunt's arms; the child looked to be around 3 or 4 months old and was smiling up at him. Teddy had fat cheeks with dimples, sandy brown hair and large brown eyes framed by long black lashes. Draco leaned towards the baby staring; the tot was positively beaming at him and reached one chubby hand for him…he grasped Draco's hand, scrunched his chubby face and turned bright red…Draco's jaw dropped as the baby's hair went from sandy brown to white blond and back to sandy brown.
Draco jumped back from the baby and stared at his aunt and mother in shock, "Did you see that? His hair…it…it changed color…how did he do that?" Andromeda looked at her nephew and gave him a tremulous smile, "He takes after his mother, she was a metamorphmagus…she could change her looks at will." As if listening to his grandmother, Teddy smiled and sandy hair turned a brilliant shade of turquoise. Draco looked at the child and felt a spasm of pain course through him. Of course, this was his cousin and old DADA professor's baby…an orphan…his side had done that to this baby…took his parents from him. Draco steeled himself and looked his aunt in the eyes, "I am so very sorry Aunt Andromeda…I am sorry for your loss and I am so very sorry that I contributed to that loss." Narcissa looked at her son and her eyes filled with tears. She had done that, she had contributed to that, the absolute pain and hopelessness in her son's eyes…it was her fault. She had done nothing to protect him from his father or shield him from the path his father forced on him. She closed her eyes and bowed her head.
"Narcissa…Draco…look at me," commanded Andromeda, "Too many people have lost everything because of this war…it took my husband, my daughter, my son-in-law and my sister…I am not letting it take my last living family members…we're family and I promise you…we are sticking together and we are going to be a real family now…no more Lucius, no more Dark Lord…we have each other…I love you and Teddy needs to know his aunt and cousin." Narcissa gave her sister a watery smile and put an arm around her son. "Thank you Andi, thank you."
Draco watched as the last living members of the Black family sat down and began to talk. He followed his mother and sat on the floor. "May I?" he questioned his aunt as he held his arms out. Andromeda handed Draco the chubby baby and watched as he settled himself on the floor cradling Teddy in his lap. Narcissa looked at her sister, "Andi…what's going on at Hogwarts? We…we haven't heard anything, with the trials and everything," Narcissa asked her, voice trailing off.
"Well, Kingsley Shacklebolt is the new Minister of Magic as I'm sure you're aware. He did a thorough house cleaning and got rid of most of the old deathea…old members of the Ministry…Arthur Weasley is now the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Minerva McGonagall is now the Headmistress at Hogwarts…I don't think Harry Potter has left Hogwarts since the night of the battle…he's helping rebuild it with the rest of the teaching staff, students and families who stayed to fight…from what I saw yesterday they've made great headway…it looks like it's going to be ready by September 1st for classes…he has also been speaking at a lot of the funerals and memorial services…he and Ginny Weasley have also been helping me with Teddy here…Remus definitely knew what he was doing when he made Harry Potter godfather…Teddy adores him," stated Andromeda.
Draco jerked his head up and looked at his aunt, "Potter is Teddy's godfather?" "Oh yes…Remus was one of James Potter's best friends…it's ironic and terribly tragic…Sirius Black was Harry's godfather and then Harry became an orphan because of Voldemort…now Harry is Teddy's godfather and is helping raise him as Voldemort took Teddy's parents from him…Teddy is very fortunate to have someone like Harry in his life…Potter respected and looked up to Remus…it will be nice for Teddy to get to know his father through Potter…how Harry got to know his father better through Sirius and Remus. Well, I best be going soon, I don't want Molly and Arthur to worry about me…they have been very kind in allowing us to stay at the Burrow while my house is rebuilt…very kind indeed."
Draco looked at his aunt and realized that perhaps she could shed some light on the mystery of Hermione Granger. If she was staying at the Burrow with the Weasley clan she would have to know something. "Aunt Andromeda, do you, um…do you know where Hermione Granger has been? I never saw her the night of the battle and I haven't seen anything about her in the Prophet or anything…I, I wanted to…I wanted to send her," his voice trailed off as he watched sadness eclipse his aunt's face. "Ah…Hermione Granger…no, I'm quite sure you haven't heard any news about her…Molly is quite broken-hearted over her…it's a terrible shame…she considered Hermione a daughter and in all likelihood that's exactly what she would have become." Draco stared at his aunt, his heart beginning to race, "Is she…did she…is she still…alive? Did she survive Bella's…" "Yes, she's alive…but it might have been better if she would have died…a terrible tragedy…just terrible…the brightest witch of her age…
Hermione Granger is at St. Mungo's and she hasn't uttered a word since her meeting with Bellatrix."
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