A/N - Merry Christmas everyone! The first half of this chapter is for the lovely lady, I Love Music. Bit of a change, but I think we needed something fun after the last chapter. Hope you enjoy! Thanks to all who continue to follow, favourite and review. To all my regular reviewers - you know I love you, but a million public thank yous anyway!
To all you recent Dramione lovers who I noticed signing up recently - (yes, of course I check out everyone's profile in depth) you will be rewarded for your hard work in reading this long and winding story very soon! I've got 2 weeks off from work and since I've spent all of today trying to iron out some issues with direction, instead of doing real life xmas prep, (so naughty,) the next chapter should be with you relatively soon! xx
Chapter 21 - Party makeovers
"Well, Grandma won't let us go near the food table without supervision, and she hasn't met you yet, so I think it'll work, especially since Dad spent all afternoon convincing her how good you are." James spoke frankly and Scorpius felt unable to hold his gaze.
He instead looked around the huddled circle. The expressions of the other children shone brightly as they gazed back at him, despite the deep gloom beneath the tree canopy. He realised, ironically, he was a familiar situation - the pre-game meeting, as Callum always called it - but instead of witnessing brazen attempts to conceal nerves with a can of Stella or a dangerously escalating ribbing war, the tension of these children was released through shrilly stifled giggles and a lot of play fighting.
They were all so young and what they planned, so harmless, that despite knowing how only weeks ago he would have laughed at how lame they were, their excitement was contagious. Scorpius felt a smile growing on his lips as he remembered that he didn't have to be that old self anymore, who felt guilty at James's words and who didn't deserve Harry Potter telling Molly Weasley that he was a good person. Because with this lot, he could be whoever he wanted to be. The guilt faded as fast as it had come.
"Why can't you you just use your invisibility cloak?" said a sandy haired boy, one of the many Weasley cousins Scorpius had been introduced to that evening. Louis, second child of Bill and Fleur, he mentally recited, fastidious about getting every detail of that evening right.
Teddy, who was leaning against the trunk of a tall birch with his arms folded, laughed. "Harry confiscated it this afternoon," he said, while James scowled.
"Why?" Scorpius asked.
"You don't want to know what they did with it at the last family party," a pretty blond girl drawled from where she stood slightly outside the circle, keeping watch over the adults through the trees. Victoria, Louis' older sister, also off to Hogwarts tomorrow...
"Mum couldn't get her hair to change back for days," said a little boy, standing to Scorpius's right. "It was so cool!" Fred, after his dead uncle, son of George and Angelina.
"What colour did it go?" Scorpius asked him. A few of the cousins in the circle exchanged wide eyed looks. A couple more, Teddy included, bit their lips, restraining smiles.
"It turned into snakes." Albus said solemnly. "Dad tried to talk to them, he thought he might be able to ask them to change back to normal when nothing else seemed to work, but they just ignored him. He said all they would do was argue with each other about whether Aunt Angelina needed to switch to a milder shampoo or not."
"Can we get back to the point, people." James announced officiously, clapping his hands over the laughter that had erupted following Al's words. "Those were some experimental sweets Uncle George was working on, we shouldn't have nicked them-"
"It was still funny though," Teddy interrupted with a grin.
"Grandma's bringing the first food out," Victoria called from over her shoulder, looking out through the branches that shielded the group. "I can see cocktail sausages, jelly boats, sandwiches-"
James threw his eyes and his arms to the sky. "We're losing time here, people! Victoire, did you get the stuff?" Victoire, not Victoria! Why do they have to have such weird names?
She looked round to face them and smirked. "Of course I did." She swung her little yellow rucksack off her shoulder, and dug her hand in. "So, I got loads of Transfigure Treats, mostly the reptile and bird ones, a few Ginger Snaps, some cool potions like Bubble Breath and Misty Mouth." She grinned at Teddy and gave the little paper bags she'd pulled from her rucksack a shake before passing them over to him. "And some surprises."
"Thanks Victoire, you're amazing." Teddy said, taking the bag with wide smile.
"Why couldn't they just get that themselves?" Scorpius asked Albus quietly.
"Banned from Uncle George's shop by Mum."
At that moment James clapped his hands again. "Right, so we're all set? Scorp, you in?" Every head swivelled towards him once again.
"Er - wait a sec," Scorpius said, looking at Teddy. "We swap clothes, you turn into me-"
"Well, not exactly you, but close enough to trick Molly." Teddy said. "I've been practicing and-"
"You've been practicing? To look like me?" Scorpius interrupted, stunned.
Teddy laughed. "It's not that hard, I think it helps that we're related. Watch." He stepped into a shaft of dappled moonlight and tilted his face up so it was softly illuminated. He looked like the kid in the alien film he'd once watched at Jake's, expression placid, arms raising skyward, waiting to be sucked up in the abducting beam of a UFO.
"He's such a poser," Al whispered in his ear, but Scorpius ignored him and stepped closer, and the only sound was the rustling of feet on dry leaves as everyone else did the same.
There was no change for several long moments, but then there was a huge collective intake of breath as it looked like someone was turning up a dimmer switch on Teddy's head, his brown hair bleaching out until it glowed silver in the moonlight. Strangely, his robes were slowly getting bigger, the sleeves creeping down over his hands, but Scorpius blinked, the surrounding darkness came into focus and he realised Teddy was actually shrinking.
"Hey, I'm not that short -" he said.
"Shh!" James whispered, "he needs to concentrate."
The transformation was gaining speed, as if Teddy was gaining confidence. His nose was lengthening, his mouth grew smaller, but his lips were getting fuller and more girly somehow, the shape of his face became softer, younger, and then, all of sudden, the shifting of muscle and bone stopped and he opened his eyes, round, pale blue and blinking rapidly.
Scorpius felt goosebumps prickle over his body and the hairs on his arm stand up as his gaze settled on him. "Wow," he breathed, so quietly no one could hear, "that's so cool." Teddy raised a pair of eyebrows that were so pale they were almost indistinguishable from his skin and grinned, taking a couple of bows to the applause that had broken out.
"There's no way anyone's gonna fall for this! He looks completely different to Scorp!" Albus said loudly, kicking a tree stump.
"Shut up Al!" James said, his hands frantic. "Do you want everyone to hear us?"
"What do you think?" Teddy asked Scorpius, stepping back into the darkness towards him, ignoring everyone around them.
Scorpius didn't know what to say. It didn't matter if Teddy was just doing this to pull off a prank, but more that he was here, standing in this tree clearing, wanting to include Scorpius, wanting to look like him. The feeling was indescribable. All he knew was he had never felt as happy or as peaceful as he had in that moment - despite the excitement that wouldn't let his limbs keep still or his mind from buzzing."You look, alright," he finally said, his voice constricted with the effort of keeping all of those thoughts from spilling out of him.
"So modest, Scorpius Malfoy." Teddy said, smirking and sweeping his platinum blond hair back off his forehead in one confident stroke. "So, shall we do this?" Scorpius felt choked. Why didn't he look that cool when he did that with his hair? He nodded faintly, completely overwhelmed.
Teddy stepped even closer and gazed right into his face, exactly on his level. He'd got his eyes just right. It really was like looking at himself in the mirror. "It'll be fine, I won't get you in trouble," he told him quietly. "They pretend to get angry- I think they think they have to, for appearances sake, but in our family," Scorpius's breath caught and Teddy must have noticed as he smiled, "-it's almost worse if nothing like this happens. Us young Marauders have a lot to live up to."
"I can handle it," Scorpius whispered.
Teddy nodded and looked round the group. "Right, clothes swap time," he announced. "Scram everyone. Remember, act natural, if that's even possible for you lot."
After a quick change and a few minutes of crawling around in the dark, Scorpius found himself a hollow space within a large bush that was set on the border to the lawn and the wilder, wooded end of the garden where the metamorphosis had taken place. He happily settled down in the dirt, Teddy's words wrapping him in a blanket of warmth that no amount of bugs or thorns or cooling air could infiltrate, and parted the branches to get a good view of the party.
The garden looked amazing. Big Chinese paper lanterns floated around, casting bobbing domes of light on the grass as they moved, caught in the gentle breeze of magic and collecting a small trail of fluttering moths as they went. Balloons that glittered as if filled with fireflies were strung up in generous abundance, and ropes of garlanded flowers and bunting weaved between the trees and tall posts. Several big, cauldron-like torches placed at random into the grass had flared into life as the sun set, and now burnt brightly with lavender coloured flames.
Most guests were dotted about the grass in small groups, variously lounging on piles of beanbags or at picnic tables, or gathering around the purple fires with drinks in hand, the children spreading out among their parents as though nothing untoward was currently happening.
He played a game, seeking out the faces of Al's family, testing his memory. That's Bill and Fleur Weasley, Arthur Weasley, George and Angelina Weasley with Roxanne, Great Aunt Andromeda, Hermione, or Professor Granger I guess. He stumbled on a few, shadowed and indistinct outside the torchlight. Oh well. Lots more time to find out. Conversation, shouts and laughter all floated like enchantments on the air and Scorpius basked in the glow of the knowledge that he was where he belonged.
But -
Scorpius bit into his lips, squeezed his hands into fists and tried to hold on the feelings of peace, like he had in the circle with the others. But this thought was a splinter in his mind that he couldn't ignore. Earlier had been about the past, but this was the future. A future so immediate that he could already feel himself mourning the present.
But - they're going to Hogwarts tomorrow. And I'm not. Scorpius hugged his knees to his chest, wrapped Teddy's robe around him tightly and imagined his cousin's eyes, bright blue and exactly the same as his.
He said we're family. They won't forget me. Scorpius buried his nose into the fabric, breathing in the unfamiliar scent, and blinking through the sharp and sudden prickling in his eyes, he focused his attention on the trestle table at the far end of the lawn and at Teddy who had just left the light of the back door, arms laden down by a big platter. He was wearing the velvety blue dress robes Dad had bought for him that afternoon from Madam Malkin's with a swagger and unlike himself, he pulled them off. The wide silhouette of Mrs Weasley was watching him from the door with folded arms and her head cocked to the side, her face unreadable in the darkness.
As she turned to go back into the kitchen, Teddy surreptitiously glanced round before pouring a potion into one of the jugs of juice. He pulled back just in time to see a tall, red haired man Scorpius hadn't been introduced to approach him. Scorpius's stomach flipped and he realised his hands were shredding a leaf into a little pile of ribbons on his trainers.
But suddenly, his view to the garden was blocked by the dark shapes of two people, who without his noticing, had come to stand right in front of his bush. He let the parted branches pull soundlessly back into place and sat helpless, legs still pulled up awkwardly to his chest, inches from their feet.
"Ginny, what is it?" It was Professor Granger and she sounded weary.
"I just want to know how you knew Malfoy was coming tonight." Ginny said. Scorpius grew completely still.
"What are you talking about?" Miss Granger said sharply.
"When Harry was talking to Scorpius earlier, when he told everyone his dad was coming late. I saw you Hermione, you weren't surprised at all. You're an awful actress."
There was a pause. "I did look surprised -"
"Yes, far too much. Hermione, how do you know?" Ginny said, gently. "Even Harry thought Malfoy wasn't coming, and this is his house."
"Jesus, Ginny, why does this matter?" Miss Granger, on the other hand, sounded stressed, defensive.
"Hermione, come on." Now Ginny's voice was raised. "Don't be like that with me."
There was a long pause. "I'm sorry," she sighed, "I'm sorry, it's been a long day." There was another silence as she rocked on her feet. Finally, she murmured, "I saw him last night."
"What? Why?"
"Why does it matter?"
"It matters because this is Malfoy." Scorpius shut his eyes, wishing he was somewhere else. But he daren't move now, despite the way his thighs had already started to ache. He couldn't betray Teddy and James. "I don't understand. Did you have to see him about Scorp?"
"Er - no, I just-" Miss Granger's voice hardened. "Listen Ginny, I don't need to justify anything. I'm sorry about lying, but I really didn't want to have this conversation tonight. Not on top of everything else. I've had an awful day, you know why, and I should still be at work. Please don't blow this out of proportion."
Ginny tutted and she stepped closer to the other witch. "I'm sorry love, I didn't mean to have a go. I just want to understand." She paused. "I feel like everyone's gone mad."
There was a gentle laugh and Miss Granger's right foot rocked on to its side. "We're not mad, Ginny. You just need to give him a chance." Scorpius opened his eyes, peering up through the leaves, hoping to catch a glimpse his professor's face. Her voice had softened when discussing his dad and perhaps her expression would have done too. But it was too dark and he didn't dare to part the leaves.
Ginny snorted. "That's what Dominic said."
"Dominic said that?"
"What's so unbelievable about that? Hermione, I know you're pretty open-minded, but you can also be so judgmental sometimes."
Miss Granger laughed. "Pot calling the kettle black." But then she groaned and swore while the women's legs turned away from each other, to face back towards the garden.
"Hello!" Ginny called out. "Finished giving young Master Malfoy the third degree?"
"What?" Miss Granger said under her breath, "I didn't see that! Why didn't you rescue him Ginny?".
"He looked like he was holding up fine. Little boys hate being rescued by uncool old mums like me."
A trouser clad pair of legs joined the two women. Scorpius groaned internally. If only he could do magic now. He could cast a spell that would make him silent and he could get away. How long were they going to stand here for? A stone was really starting to dig into his bum. If he could just slide his hand under and move it a little bit...
"As arrogant as his father. And he was pretty shifty, I don't trust him." said a man's deep voice. Scorpius froze.
"Ron! He's a child, give him a break!" Ginny cried.
"Did you see the way he was smarming up to mum? I wonder what he wants."
"He's being polite, no one ever offers to help her! He's got far better manners than my children, that's for sure."
The man, Ron, snorted. "Have you seen his robes? Probably cost an arm and a leg. What did Malfoy think this was, some ball or something?" Scorpius felt his heart pounding very hot and loud in his ears.
"They look lovely-' Ginny said, but Ron went on, talking over her.
"I'm not surprised he managed to squirrel away some cash somewhere. I bet they have some accounts that we missed-"
"Ron -" Miss Granger finally spoke up and her voice was frosty. "You don't know what you're talking about."
In the resultant silence Scorpius was sure they were about to discover him. He felt like he was crackling with anger, like any second his heart would explode or he would accidentally set the bush on fire. God, he wished he could do magic. He could feel his wand pressed against his leg, begging to be used. He could take it out, point it at this man and really make him regret what he was saying.
Ron scuffed the grass with his foot. "And you do? Ah yes, he's going to your school, isn't he?"
"Yes he is."
Ron exhaled heavily. "You need to be careful, Hermione."
I could cast a spell that pulls out each single hair on his leg. Or one that makes his toenails grow so they curl up in his shoes. Or one that makes him wet himself in front of everyone.
"Thanks for the advice." Scorpius thought It wasn't even possible for his professor's voice to grow any more sarcastic. He found he liked her for that. She was scary, but he really, really liked her.
"I'm being serious. It's bloody insane, isn't it? Malfoy sending his kid there. I've been reading the papers," there was a groan. "Let's just say, I think there's something going on-"
"It doesn't take a genius to work that out-" Miss Granger squared her legs.
"Why don't we go and get another drink?" Ginny said nervously. But her attempt to distract were ignored.
"I'm just saying, I'm keeping my ears open Hermione. If things turn nasty - if Malfoy's up to something, you'll have the Deputy Head Auror on your side."
"Oh Ron, I completely forgot you made Deputy Head Auror! Why don't you mention it to us once again! Perhaps this time we'll remember!" Ginny cried.
"Thanks, but that won't be necessary." Miss Granger hissed over her. "Come on Gin, I'm thirsty."
"Yes!" Ginny said with relief. "Yes please, me too, totally parched!". The two women began to move away, and Scorpius flexed his arms and lifted his feet off the floor, aching to stretch them out, but Hermione's legs stopped abruptly.
"Hermione, just a minute." Ron said, quietly.
No, no, please just go away. I don't want to hear anything else. I hate you, whoever you are.
She sighed and moved back to the bush. "Gin - I'll catch up in a minute. No, I'm fine, honestly." The sound of Ginny's footsteps on the grass faded. "What is it?"
"I just wanted to say, you look great tonight," Ron said, taking a step towards her.
She moved backwards. "Ron -"
"What? Why can't I say that? I don't think I've ever seen you with - Well, I didn't think I liked it at first but whatever you've done to your lips looks really -"
"Jesus, Ron. Always the tone of surprise," she said, sounding exasperated. Her left foot rose to balance unsteadily on her toe. "You haven't changed at all." Scorpius thought he could hear a smile in her voice, and his anger swelled back up to encase her too. And it hurt more this time, as from her, smiling at anything this man said felt like a betrayal. Ron chuckled, took another step forwards and this time she didn't move away.
"Are you disappointed about that?"
"I think that's irrelevant."
"No, it's not. Nothing you think is irrelevant." There was a long silence before Ron spoke again. "I am worried you know. I was worried I'd find you all-"
"What? Losing the plot?"
"Merlin, Hermione. You could never lose that."
She snorted. "You have no idea."
"I meant that by the way. If you need any help." He moved even closer. Their toes were now only as far apart as the length of his wand. After a few moments of silence Miss Granger took a long step back. Ron sighed loudly.
"Ron - Don't. Just, don't. Let's find Harry."
"Hermione, if he tries anything-"
"You'll what? Dual him? Arrest him? You can think what you want, no one's asking you to make friends, but please don't make a scene."
"Why are you so sure he's coming anyway?" Ron said gruffly. "It's getting late."
There was a long pause. "Because I know that he wouldn't let down his son. He's devoted to him." she said, in that same, soft tone of voice as when she'd discussed his dad before. And then they moved away and Scorpius painfully stretched out his arms and legs, Miss Granger's gentle words in his ears, reassuring and soothing some of the lingering anger. Of course Dad would come, he had to prove them all wrong, especially that horrible man.
Hermione strode back towards the house as calmly as she could given the circumstances. She knew if she looked back she'd see Ron trailing behind her, doing those sad, wide eyes that he knew once would melt whatever mood he'd decided she was in, but now just pissed her off. Deep under-eye bags now made him look more hangdog than puppy-dog and it had taken Hermione more than she would care to admit to overcome the sudden, enraged need to ask him if his wife was still taking good care of him, fulfilling his needs, etcetera, etcetera, and just walk away...
But she was pissed off with herself too, for being pissed off. After all this time, she should be over it. It had been years since she'd last made the mistake of giving in to that small flicker in her heart that his slow smile and attention still caused, but not that many years since the last time she'd confronted him over causing it. But that part of her life was completely over. She could walk away, she wouldn't be drawn into anything. If Ron wanted to flirt with her, well that wasn't her problem.
They found Harry alone, fussing over the food table, his hair more tousled than it had been when Hermione had last seen him.
"Harry, mate! Where've you been?" Ron said, moving past Hermione to clap him firmly on his upper arm.
"Just getting things ready," he said with a faint smile.
"I've heard all about this famous singer - er, boyfriend - of yours. Where you hiding him? Upstairs?" The forced joviality in Ron's voice was painful. Harry's smile faltered rapidly. Ron Weasley, as subtle as a hammer, and Gryffindor through and through. Don't understand? Think it might be a threat? Attack first, question later.
Harry took a deep breath, his fingers scraping through his hair. "No Ron, I haven't been with Marv, he's not here. We've broken up," he said impassively. "I've actually been busy setting up the wards. They're pretty spectacular." Hermione sent him a massive, fortifying smile which he returned weakly.
"Oh shit, mate, I'm sorry. Why?"
"Just didn't work out," Harry said, though by the single-minded way Ron was now eying the food table, Hermione thought Harry could have said, 'I decided I prefer women after all,' and Ron wouldn't have batted an eyelid.
"Sorry, mate. Well, you know, plenty of fish and all that. Great spread you've got here by the way!" Ron said, leaning over to reach for a crustless sandwich triangle, popping it in his mouth whole.
Harry took a deep gulp of his beer, looked like he was struggling to swallow, and finally, wincing, he said, "it should be, Molly's been working flat out all day."
"Good old Mum."
"She better not see you doing that." Hermione said primly, unable to help herself. "We've all been under strict instructions not to touch anything until everyone gets here."
Ron rolled his eyes and reached forward for another sandwich. "And you say, I haven't changed," he murmured. Hermione felt her face heat up and kept her eyes firmly averted from Harry, who, she could see in her periphery, had raised his eyebrows. "Everyone meaning, Malfoy?" Ron asked, mouth full.
"Not especially. Harry's got a few neighbours arriving late too."
"Muggles? Have you seen this place?"
Harry grinned. "Yeah, that's why I was working on the wards you see -" But in that moment something in the sky caught his eye, he did a double take and said, "you have got to be kidding."
Hermione turned around and gazed upwards. She laughed, then clapped her hand over her mouth, relief and bewilderment flooding her. A dark robed figure was high above them, the flash of his white blond hair clear as he dipped and weaved about on a racing broom, leaving a trail of gold sparks behind him. As they watched, and to Hermione's complete amazement, the sparks began to arrange themselves into a looping, slightly drunken script.
"Stay - in - school - boys - and - girls," Harry read out. "Oh my god."
Hermione's stomach lurched as Malfoy did a twirling dive seemingly just for the sake of it, and she looked away, and at Ron. His lips were in a tight line and his ears were already a violent red. He blindly reached for the nearest plate, eyes locked on the sky, and began to work through a pile of biscuits with mindless aggression.
"DAD!" Scorpius's shriek carried from the other end of the garden. He ran forwards into the centre of the lawn, pulling his robes over his shoulders as if they had slipped off in excitement. Malfoy did one last sweeping loop and glided down, landing with his back to the house and with a graceful jog that ended with Scorpius flinging himself into his arms. Their heads bowed together and Hermione could just make out what seemed to be a very intense conversation, Scorpius frowning and shaking his head and Draco's hand running across his cheek.
"Is that a Firebolt Supreme?" Ron spat, along with a few crumbs. "Is that a fucking joke? You think I didn't know what I was talking about before? Yeah, they seem like they're really on the fucking breadline." Hermione hid her own surprise and kept quiet. The broom must have been a gift from Blaise Zabini.
Draco crouched, seemingly to gather his thoughts while he watched Scorpius fly towards the trees. When he stood and turned to face the house, his gaze swept the garden and across the guests, who had all stopped what they were doing to stare. Some, mostly children, were looking in excited awe between the words that still sparkled in the sky, and the man himself, but the adults all wore expressions that varied between trepidation and disapproval.
Hermione saw Andromeda come to the window of the house, take in the scene worriedly and withdraw. Malfoy hadn't seen her.
Instead of diminishing under their attention, as he had done when Hermione had accompanied him to Diagon Alley, Draco raised his chin and catching sight of her, Harry and Ron, began to stroll towards them, slowly lifting a hand to smooth back his windswept hair and his robes. Hermione felt pride in him for that, and smiled widely, stepping forward to meet him, keen to get away from the grumble of Ron's incessant diatribe.
Malfoy's skin was flushed, his eyes were excited and sparkling from flying, but his attention on Hermione lasted as long as it took his eyes to flick from her smile, down her body to her toes and then he was looking hard at Ron. Hermione's hands hung at her side, her unreturned smile faltered, each delicate though about Draco that had occurred since last night now swayed dangerously in a tidal oscillation of doubt.
Had he regretted what he told her? Were his barriers were back up? He was already more distant, it echoed the last time she'd seen him in this garden - but in the time it had taken her to have these thoughts, Draco had come very close, closer than he'd ever been and her mind froze. His arm wrapped around her waist, his hand in the small of her back, he leant down and the eyes she met briefly before he was brushing lips that felt dry and chapped against her cheek, weren't cold at all, but warm and amused. Sandpaper stubble dragged against her skin and beneath that his cheek was so warm it burnt.
Hermione shut her eyes and breathed him sharply and without thinking. He smelt familiar, yet thrilling. High, cold, fresh air - the smell of the boys when they'd got back from Quidditch practice, but beneath that, something musty and sharp - the smell that lingered in the potion dungeons at Hogwarts.
"You look beautiful," the words pushed out on breath that was wine sweetened and warm tickled the skin beneath her ear and she shivered, automatically bringing her shoulder up to ease it, and immediately hoped he hadn't noticed. As he pulled away Hermione opened her eyes just in time to see him grin. "Nice to see you again, Granger," he said, his voice heavy with amusement.
"And - and you, Malfoy." Hermione only just registered Ron's heavy, irate breathing to her side. She was too relieved and overwhelmed to care.
"These wards better be up and running, Potter," Malfoy said with a glance at the sky, moving away to grasp Harry's outstretched hand.
But before Harry could reply, Ron stepped forwards and jerked his hand at the sky and said, "Wards? Wards couldn't help this! We're in a muggle area! You were on a Firebolt, The ministry cleanup's going to be out of control!"
"Ron, please." Hermione muttered, placing a hand on his arm. Malfoy saw the gesture and his eyebrows shot up. Hermione dropped her hand.
Draco was a couple of inches shorter than Ron, but the straightness of his back and the angle he held his head at gave the impossible impression that he was looking down on the other wizard. "Weasley, I'm more than capable of Disillusioning myself, not that the make of the broom makes a massive difference to any muggles that may have witnessed me." He paused, his eyes swept up and down Ron's figure, and he smirked, as if what he was seeing was not a the smart robes befitting the Deputy Head Auror, but instead, Ron's old, hand-me-down school uniform. "But I guess you wouldn't have ever seen a broom like my son's, so I don't blame you for becoming moronic with jealousy. A familiar feeling I suppose." The only indication that fourteen years had passed was how quietly Draco had hissed the last part, as if it were for Ron's ears only, something he'd never aimed for at school.
Ron mouthed soundlessly a couple of times, the blood spreading blotchily from his ears across his neck and face so his even his skin looked angry. Malfoy on the other hand, appeared to be basking in calm, his pale skin almost luminescent. He smiled, but it was too toothy and his eyes were as hard and glinting as chips of granite. Hermione watched helplessly, unease spreading through her. What was wrong with him? This wasn't meant to happen. She'd told them he'd changed, and he he was, smashing that to pieces.
"And I know Potter's wards are more than capable of dealing with my little message," Draco said.
"How do you know that?" Ron spluttered.
"Because he helped make them," Harry said, quietly. Ron's eyes bulged and he stepped back, hitting the table.
"And they're working alright together, Potter? The Eihwaz and the Hagalaz Rune?" Draco asked, staring past Ron as if he wasn't there, an action sure to provoke him far more than any words.
Hermione hoped desperately it was to do with how much wine he had clearly drunk, but Draco was acting the most Malfoy-like she'd seen him. She didn't like the sharpening of his features or of his words, spoken to inflict pain instead of invite friendship. Had he made that big show of kissing her hello, just to get at Ron too? She thought of the plan he'd told her about - to gain Zabini's confidence by letting him know he wasn't a threat, that he hadn't changed. Perhaps he was still caught up at being 'in character.' Maybe he'd discovered he liked being that person, after all this time.
Or maybe, he's not 'in character' at all.
"They worked like a charm. Just like you said." Harry grinned, "I'm glad you made it."
"I wouldn't have missed it. I'm sorry for being so late." Malfoy glanced at Hermione and raised his eyebrows, making her realise how severely her thoughts must have been showing on her face. She tried to relax and he said, frowning "I rearranged my meeting for six, but it still dragged on for longer than I hoped."
She opened her mouth to speak, but Ron interrupted. "Excuse me," he began, but before he could formulate just what it was he was so outraged about, though Hermione could guess any number of things, he coughed, gasped for air and began to gag. One hand leapt up to clasp his throat, the other fumbled for the side of the table.
"Ron! Are you choking?" Hermione said in alarm, starting towards him. But then she stopped dead, as horrifyingly, the skin on his face and hands began to bubble like a simmering liquid. "RON!" she cried, and then span to look at Malfoy.
"This isn't me, I swear," he said, the corner of his lip twitching up, raising empty hands.
Ron had brought his hand away from his throat and was gazing at it with widening, alarmingly yellow, slit pupil-ed eyes. His skin had calmed, though now was taking on a green tinge, and the bubbles were flattening out to form a precise, overlapping pattern similar to metal plated armour. Or, Hermione realised with sudden and relieved exasperation, just like scales.
Harry was watching Ron transform with his face in his hands, but didn't seem overly perturbed. Hermione's shout had rallied most of the guests to gather round, and they watched the transformation with similar expressions to Harry, though the children's faces stood out as gleeful as pixies among the sombre adults. Even the muggles who'd come through the garden gate were observing with the air of those watching a particularly fascinating animal documentary on TV. All were unfazed but one, small blond wizard. Scorpius pushed to the front, his hand going up to pull on his father's elbow at once.
"What's going on?" he asked, but when he caught sight of Ron his mouth dropped open. He hurriedly stepped back to cower behind his father, his face horrorstruck as he watched Ron transform. Poor Scorpius. Another victim of the Marauders. Harry needed to have some serious words with his sons and Teddy, who were all suspiciously absent and which judging by the way Harry was now whispering to Ginny, his gaze sweeping across his friends and relatives, he had also realised.
The lizard man, bizarrely dressed up like a respectable wizard, staggered back and clutched the table behind him with clawed hands, a bad ginger wig hair perched atop his knobbly head. Hermione met Malfoy's amused eyes and immediately hid her resulting smile behind her hand, feeling a pang of guilt. This must be utterly humiliating, and Malfoy was enjoying it far too much. Was she as bad? Where was her empathy? Ron fumbled with his sleeves and drew his wand, pointing it, trembling, at Malfoy.
"It wath him," he panted, chest heaving, a long reptilian tongue flicking out across where his lips used to be.
Malfoy laughed, completely unperturbed by the threatening wand. "No it wasn't! I just got here, sorry to disappoint you, Weasley, but -"
"No, no, not you, your thon. Thcorpius"
Malfoy stopped laughing abruptly, and his face became cold. The change was so sudden it was almost inhuman. "What did you say?" he said, quietly, reaching around to make sure Scorpius was still at his back. Hermione saw his own wand drop into his hand by his side. There was no laughter now, the party had become completely still.
"It wath him! He helped put the food out! I thought it wath a bit thuthpiciouth, a Malfoy doing thomething nithe for thomeone elthe-"
"Ron, Ron, chill out." George came forwards, grin forcibly in place, reaching towards his younger brother. "It's just a Transfigure Treat, I dunno how the kids got hold of them, but -"
"It wath all him! Malfoy mutht have thet him up!" Ron rasped, his voice a guttural and vibrating twang.
"Ron, calm down, mate. It's just the boys having a joke. I'm George can get an antidote," Harry said, putting his hand on Ron's shoulder, but it was shrugged off.
"You will drop your wand, do you understand?" Malfoy said, his voice and expression glacial. "Scorp's already told me what he overheard you saying about us, but I was willing to overlook it tonight, because of what I owe Harry. But this is too far."
Ron's arm began to lower but Hermione didn't relax, gasping as she pieced together what must have happened and realised what Scorpius must have overheard. If, that was, Ron hadn't been mouthing off to more than just her and Ginny. Malfoy nodded at Ron, his face set grimly, and turned away, back to face Scorp.
But he didn't see Ron's wand raise back up.
"Draco!" Hermione screamed, at the same time as Ron spat out a spell.
"Incatherous!" A beam of red light shot from his wand, but Malfoy had dived forward, pulling Scorp under him.
The spell grazed the tips of his hair and a few people screamed, a boy's voice shouted, "No!" and the group scattered. Hermione found her own wand in her hand, but she was sorely out of practice in combat and before she could react, Malfoy twisted his head back round to face Ron, jerking his own wand up, his face twisted and ugly.
Just as the bright, white light of a spell sprang out of his wand, Teddy Lupin broke through Ginny's grappling arms and threw himself forward with a yell, right between the two wizards. Draco's spell lit his face like a flash of lightening as it sang into the tender skin at the base of his neck.
"TED!" Andromeda's voice screamed, and Hermione heard her own voice crying out, heart wrenching panic shooting through her. She lurched forwards, towards Teddy, who was dropping to his hands and knees, but Harry got there first, hunching over the boy, blocking her way.
Ron glared at Malfoy, his pointed face twisted into a snarl, his wand clutched by two shaking claws, pointing right at his chest. "You've done it now, Malfoy," he hissed, his tongue lapping the air.
"What's the counter curse?" Hermione asked him frantically, but Malfoy didn't appear to either hear her or care about Ron's levelled wand. He was staring at Teddy over Harry's shoulders, his face bloodless. He took an uncertain step forwards, towards the boy now curled in a quivering ball on the floor, arms clutching his stomach, face turned to the ground.
Andromeda wrestled her way past Angelina and Fleur as if they were dolls, ignoring the crunch of her knees as they hit the grass beside her Grandson. Her hands moved feverishly across his body, checking for the worst. "He's violently shaking, is he having a fit?" She asked, her voice loud and unstable. She looked wildly round for Malfoy, who only shook his head, stripped of all cocky confidence. "Well, why are you just standing there? What have you done? What curse did you use?" She cried, the words hoarse and catching in her throat. "Tell me! Does he need - St Mungos?"
"He's - fine." Malfoy's voice was low, stuttering, his eyes wide. "He's just -"
"He's -" Harry said and gazed up at Malfoy. His profile was etched in disbelief. "He's just - laughing."
"What?" Andromeda said sharply, her head whipping around to Harry. She clasped Teddy's shoulders, rolled him on to his back, and as his head flopped back on to the grass, he sucked in a wheezing breath and let it out in one violent burst what was unmistakably - laughter. Hermione's shock cemented her to the ground.
"Finite incantatem," Malfoy said quietly, stepping forward with a flick of his wand.
Teddy's body sagged and he lay panting, bringing up his sleeves to rub off the tears on his cheeks.
George let out a big shout of a laugh in the silence. "You used a tickling charm on my idiot brother? Priceless."
Hermione looked at Malfoy, and raised her hand, not knowing what she meant to do, but he didn't look at her anyway. His eyes were locked on Andromeda and Teddy on the floor, still as stricken as if it had indeed been a curse that had struck him down.
"Come on everyone," George announced. "Nothing to see here, let's leave them too it. Big, awkward family reunion about to take place. Oi-" he placed his hands on Victoire's shoulders as she tried to slip away, shamefaced. "Not you. With me, now. Bill, Fleur, let me tell you just what excuse your lovely daughter told me last week when she picked up these sweets..."
The group dispersed, but Hermione lingered, torn between giving them privacy, but not feeling able to leave. She felt wrong-footed and shaken by the violent spurt of adrenalin that still raced through her body. She turned towards the table, her back to the garden, and poured a big glass of wine with trembling hands.
"You should never run into the crossfire of two wizards duelling," Malfoy said from behind her, his voice raw. She turned back, unable not to. "You had no idea what spell that was - what it could have done to you."
Teddy pushed himself up, body still shaking with the aftershocks of the charm, batting away his grandmother's fussing hands. "I just - I couldn't let Scorp be blamed, that's not Gryffindor. I turned into him," his hair flashed blond as he spoke, struggling to his feet, "-and I promised that -"
Malfoy swiped his hand to the side and Teddy went silent. He took another step forward so he towered over the small boy, who quailed, his hair dulling back to brown. "Scorp getting blamed for a prank is nothing compared to you getting hurt, This isn't a game, this isn't about your house, it's real," he said very quietly. "You need to think before acting so - so foolishly. You won't always be as lucky as you were today." His eyes flicked derisively to Ron, who was allowing himself to be led to the house by a furious looking Ginny, his green scales clashing with the bloody flush of the unaffected skin around his hairline.
"I'm sorry," Teddy whispered, hands bunched at his hips, chin pressed to his chest.
"I'm sorry too, Draco," Andromeda said unsteadily, wincing as her hips straightened, leaning heavily on Harry as he helped her stand. Her aged face, usually so warm and open, was clouded with uncertainty. She bowed her head and said, weighting the words with uncharacteristic formality, "I should never have jumped to conclusions. Please forgive me, and accept my apologies," she took a deep breath and tilted her chin forward in the same way Draco sometimes did, "- to the Malfoys on my Grandson's behalf."
In the long pause that followed, Draco winced, and Hermione knew Andromeda eluded to ceremony that was beyond her full understanding. "Please - you don't have to - just don't worry," he said. Andromeda dropped her head, surprised. "I don't blame you at all. I know I have a reputation." He glanced over to Hermione for the first time since the fight started and met her eyes. She held them for a moment, but then broke the contact, shame engulfing her. "I'm just sorry that we met like this, Mrs Tonks. I had planned on Scorp introducing us tonight."
Andromeda smiled. She stood up straighter and wrapped an arm around Teddy who, although nearly her height, looked much younger than usual, his face still painfully abashed. "Come on then, let's forget this and start afresh. And call me Andromeda." She drew her wand, flicked up four bottles of Butter Beer off the table and gestured over to one of the tables on the far sides of the garden. "Let's get acquainted. Don't worry, I know where Harry keeps the Firewhiskey." Malfoy's stony expression finally softened into a bemused twitch that was almost a smile. "Come on boys, march on."
The four traipsed off, bottles trailing behind them in the air, leaving Hermione standing alone with Harry. She took a deep gulp of wine and met his gaze reluctantly.
"Hermione - don't look so upset. Malfoy didn't mean what you think he did."
She swallowed and grimaced. "Yes he did. And he's right, I really did think he'd hurt him."
"Well, so did I. And I wouldn't have blamed him for a moment. Ron can be such a -" Harry let out a deep sigh and turned to face the table with his wand outstretched. "Accio Weasley Wizarding Wheezes," he said, and an impressive range of food and a thin stream of liquid zoomed towards him. Teddy had outdone himself. Harry flicked his wand in a sharp sweep and it vanished. "I better go and tell Molly it's safe to come out. What a shit-storm this party's turning into. Hopefully everyone's still got an appetite after that." He started to walk to the kitchen door, but stopped when Hermione didn't follow. "Come on Herm, you know I keep Firewhiskey in more than one place."
He waited for a couple of seconds, but then with a shake of his head, he turned away, leaving her alone. She took another gulp of wine, turning to watch Draco reach out a hand to help Andromeda sit and then bend down and fold his legs into the seat opposite her, looking absurdly cramped on the little table. His hands flicked his robes out to settle down the back of the bench in the same sharp, confident way she remembered him doing at school.
Frustration, embarrassment and guilt over sat upon Hermione like the dead weight of a body. What was wrong with her? He had only been here minutes, but already she was over-analysing each of his words, over-reacting to every little flicker of emotion. She was ready to verbally defend him to Ginny and Ron, but when it actually mattered, she had decided, with the benevolence of a capricious queen, that he he was undeserving of her charitable view, despite never having given her solid reason to doubt him.
She was worse than Ron. At least he was upfront with his prejudice, while hers apparently still simmered away deep down. It caused her to eagerly latch on to shallow, easy to digest evidences of goodness, that just proved to her how much he'd 'changed,' (as if he needed to prove anything to her anyway,) but as soon as a hint of something surfaced that reminded her of who he used to be, all the good would be instantly forgotten.
His new confidence must mean that he'd enjoyed his dinner with Zabini, the lack of eye contact meant rejection, his insults were spiteful provocations, that he had been the one to transfigure Ron, that he had cursed Teddy. Hermione grimaced as she relived the conversation Scorpius had probably overheard. If that had been her son, what would she have done? So much worse than a tickling charm. She had to stop thinking in terms of changed or good or bad. It just wasn't that simple.
Guilt brought Hermione's glass to her lips, shame of her own insecurities tilted the wine back into her mouth and desperation to get out of her mind and just stop thinking so much, made her push past the burning in her throat until the glass was empty. She was in no fit emotional shape to be there, Orla had been right as usual, but here she was anyway and she was going to have make the most of it. The first step was Firewhiskey and the next was taking a cue from Andromeda and giving Draco the clean slate he deserved.