I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update, I'm hoping the double chapter might make up for it a little bit? I've put this note here and one at the end of 38 so that the two chapters can be read without too much interruption.
Warning: there are scenes of a sexual nature at the end of chapter 38 (I'm not sure if it would be classed as smut? And I've never written anything like it so I hope it's not terrible either...)
Anyway, without further ado...
Sunday rolled around faster than anyone would have liked. Draco hadn't spoken to Rose since his partial breakdown on Monday night and Rose was getting a little frustrated by it and by him. It wasn't going to stay that way for much longer before she would hunt him down and drag him away by his earlobe. As far as she could tell, he hadn't even been back to the Manor! If she didn't know him so well she might have been worried. Scorp grinned at her as he came towards the floo, an entire crate of firewhiskey in his arms.
"You ready?" He asked.
"As I'll ever be," Rose said with a small smile.
"It's going to be fine, I promise," he said.
"You can't promise that," she grumbled.
"Of course I can, I never promise something I'm not sure of," he said, kissing her cheek and shoving her towards the fireplace.
Rose stepped in and called out 'the Burrow' before being whisked away in a torrent of green flames. Her stomach bubbled in anticipation and she stumbled out of the floo as the nerves got the better of her.
"Rosie!" Ron called happily as he clocked his daughter's arrival.
"Hey dad." Rose pecked her father's cheek and fidgeted awkwardly.
"Are you okay, you look a little pale?" Ron frowned in mild concern.
"No! I'm fine!" Rose cried, a little too forcefully.
"Rose..." Ron put on his serious dad voice but didn't get much further as the floo roared to life again and Scorpius stepped out. Ron took one look at the box of firewhiskey and barked a laugh, shaking his head and grinning. "Merlin help me..." he mumbled amusedly to himself.
"Dad?" Rose frowned.
"Are you happy Rosie? Does he make you happy?" Ron asked softly, smiling as Rose's eyes widened and she looked at her dad in shock.
"You know?" Rose breathed.
"I know," Ron said.
"He does more than make me happy," Rose answered, tears in her eyes at her dad's apparent complete acceptance.
"Good," Ron said, giving her a strange little nod. "I just want you to be happy Rosie..."
"Well, so long as I'm with him, I think I will be..." Rose gave Scorp a shy smile and he winked back.
"Break her heart and I'll break your head," Ron said swiftly and seriously to Scorp.
Scorpius nodded, and shifted the box of liquor to shake Ron's hand. "I'd deserve nothing less..."
"And stop being so bloody amiable!" Ron huffed. "She's supposed to be too good for you!"
"She is too good for me, there's just no handbook for dealing with a bloke who already knows that!" Scorpius chuckled.
"Go on, go give them all their drinks." Ron gestured to the back door and Rose flung her arms around her dad before following her boyfriend out into the garden.
.
"Malfoy!" James called as he spotted the blonde descend the couple of steps from the back door into the garden.
"Thanks!" Rose cried. "How come you're more pleased to see him?!"
"Your hair is Weasley red Rose, too many of you to tell you apart on site from that far away," James said with a cheeky shrug.
"Hey you two..." Teddy came up behind James and trailed off as he saw the box Scorp was holding. "Is that..."
"Bottles of firewhiskey?" Scorp smirked. "Yes, it is."
"Why have you got a box of firewhiskey with you?" James asked in hushed excitement.
"I thought they'd make a good addition to the BBQ, I know your whole family like a bit of a drink so..." Scorp shrugged nonchalantly.
"Don't torment us," Teddy huffed. "Are they for us? Because you and Rose finally got your thang on?"
"Please never refer to it as a thang again," Rose grimaced.
"So, is that a yes?" James asked.
"Is what a yes?" Fred joined them.
"Scorp has a box of firewhiskey," James said.
"Oo! I take it the two of you are an official couple now then?" Fred winked.
"They haven't answered that question yet," James grumbled.
"Well, it's easy enough to find out," Fred smirked.
"Hey!" Scorp cried as the box flew out of his hand and into Fred's. Fred stowed his wand back into his pocket and opened the box. "I believe the answer is yes." Fred grinned as he pulled out a bottle of muggle whiskey.
"Damnit Al!" Scorpius groaned. "I was having such fun winding them up..." he pouted at Rose and she chuckled.
"I know," she said soothingly. "You'll have plenty more opportunities to wind them up over other things."
"Yes, you will. But before we get to that..." Teddy grinned, a little too manically for Scorp's liking.
"What? You've already initiated me, what else are you going to do?" He groaned in mild panic.
"We, dear future in-law, are going to have a little chat..." James picked up a bottle of firewhiskey for himself, looped his arm around Scorp's shoulders and began walking him away from Rose and the rest of her oblivious family.
"Rosie...?" Scorp let out a kind of yelp and Rose stifled a giggle.
"Have fun my love," Rose called to him, Teddy and Fred picking up their own bottles and trotting off behind James and Scorp. Scorpius scowled at her from over his shoulder.
"What was all that about?" Al frowned as he walked up to Rose. She picked up the muggle whiskey and handed it to him. Al's eyes widened and he looked from the whiskey to Rose and back again several times.
"See you in a few minutes," Al smirked as he stalked off after his best mate, older brother and cousins.
"I don't think he's going to help him," Lily laughed as she watched her brother run to catch them up.
"Me neither," Rose chuckled.
"What's going on?" Hugo asked.
"Scorp brought you all the firewhiskey he promised," Rose said with a smirk.
"Firewhiskey...?" Roxie trailed off.
"You mean..." Sarah gave Rose an odd, excited look.
"Me and Scorp are officially a couple, yes." Rose nodded. "Although its not publicly public."
"What the hell does that mean?" Dex snuck an arm around Lily's waste and frowned.
"It means, not to the press," Lily explained. "There's public, which is all our friends and family. And then there's the public public, which is the rest of wizarding Britain."
"Right..." Dex rolled his eyes.
"So, you and Scorp, together at last..." Polly grinned at Rose.
"Yes," Rose grinned back, a faint blush staining her cheeks.
"Where is the man?" Hugo frowned.
"He's been accosted by James, Fred, Teddy and Al," Rose said.
"And in which direction did they go?" Hugo asked, far too innocently.
"That one," Rose said, pointing towards where the boys had disappeared. "Play nice..." she called to Hugo as he walked away.
"I always do sis," he called back.
"Poor Scorp," Dex sniggered.
"That could be you soon," Rose said.
"Please...I can handle you lot!" Dex scoffed.
"I cannot wait to see that," Rose said with a smirk. She noticed Lily looked slightly uncomfortable at Dex's tone and attitude, something Rose wasn't particularly fond of right now either.
"So, what's the platinum playboy like then?" Roxie wriggled her eyebrows as the rest of her cousins surrounded her.
"Excuse me?!" Rose went a deep red.
"Come on Rose, you can't not tell us! We've been dying to know for longer than you've liked him!" Dom snickered.
"He's...well...it's...I'm not..." Rose grimaced. "Shove off, I'm not telling you anything!"
"You haven't done the dirty deed yet, have you?" Roxie huffed.
"Girls, give her a break, they've only been together five minutes!" Victoire smiled at Rose's silent thanks.
"Yeah, but it's Malfoy, he usually seals a deal in less than two," Dex retorted.
"Rose is different," Polly glared at the man stood beside Lily and felt a little sorry for her sister-in-law. She was clearly still in the stage of rose-tinted glasses.
"If you say so," Dex smirked.
"I know so," Rose said, staring him down.
"I'm just saying, he's Scorpius Malfoy and he didn't get his reputation unfairly," Dex said, holding his hands up as if in surrender. "But hey, maybe you'll be the first to tame him?"
"He doesn't need taming," Rose said.
"Have you not heard the stories?!" Dex looked at her in bewilderment.
"Dex..." Lily hissed from beside him, shooting Rose an apologetic look.
"What babe?! I'm just saying! I know Scorp, better than you lot, and I'd hate to see your cousin get hurt when I could possibly prevent it." Dex looked back at Rose, barely concealing his smug expression.
"I've heard all the stories, I know all about his reputation," Rose said calmly, if a little coldly. "What sort of impression did you get of me, regarding my reputation? What sort of stories have you heard about me?"
"Gryffindor's second princess, nothing but sweetness and light. Malfoy would eat you alive," Dec scoffed.
"Huh?" Rose frowned as though in thought. "Just goes to show you probably shouldn't listen to everything you hear, right?" She smirked at the rest of her family who all laughed at Dex's confused face.
"Are you trying to tell me you're a little bit naughty on the inside?" Dex gave her a coy look and Rose did her best not to grimace. Lily was one of her best friends and she just wanted the conversation over for her sake.
"I'm trying to tell you I'm bloody terrifying, be smart and fucking listen because it's not my boyfriend or the rest of my lovely family you'll have to worry about if you cross me," Rose said. Dex's mouth hung open in shock at Rose, never having expected to hear that from the girl he thought was all innocence.
.
"Rose?" A voice came from the back door and Rose turned on her heel to see her team meandering towards her through the small crowd. Her family was so big it could be quite overwhelming sometimes.
"Hey Kevin," Rose grinned. "Louise, Jackson, Tyler, Piper..." she nodded to each of them in turn.
"This is my husband, Leo," Piper introduced the man beside her, who gave a wary nod.
"Hi," Rose smiled and extended her hand for him to shake.
"Where's Fred and Al?" Louise asked with a frown.
"Oh, giving Scorp the low down since we turned up and declared ourselves an official couple," Rose said.
"Really?" Jackson pouted, looking a little disappointed.
"Really," Rose chuckled.
"I knew I should have asked you out first," Jackson sighed playfully.
"Wow, you had a bit of a queue there, didn't you Weasley?" Dec smirked suggestively, having snapped back to his usual self. Rose frowned, the name Weasley sounding so strange since Draco had started calling her Granger all the time.
"Who's the dipshit?" Jackson asked.
"Jackson?!" Rose huffed, a tiny smirk playing on his lips.
"Excuse me?!" Dex barked angrily. "Who're you calling a dipshit?"
"You," Jackson said, folding his arms. "No one talks to her like that, I don't like your tone."
"Jackson, he's my cousin's boyfriend," Rose said. "Dex Carrow."
"Well that explains it," Jackson smirked.
"Explains what? You got something to say about my family?" Dex puffed himself up and leaned towards Jackson menacingly.
"Dex!" Lily hissed at him for the second time, looking totally mortified with his behaviour.
"You got something to say, then say it!" Dex growled.
"I've got nothing against your family, dipshit. Well, at least not in the sense you're probably thinking," Jackson said. "I went to school with your little brother, he was an arrogant little arsehole too. Seems to run in the family."
"Fuck you!" Dex spat.
"Hey!" Kevin stepped forward and held his hands up. "I don't think there's any need for that..."
"Fuck off, he started it!" Dex folded his own arms, purposefully making his biceps bulge.
Kevin merely just rolled his eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be older than him?" He sighed. "Not to mention we were standing right next to you when you addressed our team leader in a rather derogatory manner."
"How the fuck was I derogatory?" Dex scoffed.
"It wasn't what you said, it was how you said it," Kevin said.
"Really, and how's that?" Dex snapped.
"Like you considered yourself a part of that queue, and one with a chance. Something I don't quite understand since you were stood next to your rather attractive girlfriend at the time, and still are now," Kevin said calmly.
"I was messing around and having a bit of fun, where's your fucking sense of humour?!" Dex retaliated.
"No offence mate, but if I were you I'd be careful messing around and having a bit of fun, her mother is fucking scary and if I'm not mistaken she's got that same evil glint in her eye." Kevin smirked at Lily, winking at her when Dex wasn't looking. Lily snorted and turned her gaze back to her infuriated boyfriend.
"Are you not going to say anything?!" He snarled, viciously enough to make a few of the surrounding crowd drop their smirks and give Lily a concerned frown.
"If the tables were turned and I'd said the same thing in the same tone to one of these guys, would you be perfectly okay with that or would you be going batshit crazy right now?" Lily asked.
"I wouldn't have a problem babe, because I know you're with me," Dex ground out.
"Sure you wouldn't," Lily rolled her eyes and huffed irritably, trying to keep her cool. If she was being honest with herself, Dex had been scaring her a little lately. But it was nothing she couldn't handle.
"If you had such a problem with it, why didn't you say anything?" He snapped.
"Because its Rose, she can handle herself and she can handle you," Lily said. Dex glared at her before stomping away in a huff. Lily turned back to the surrounding people. "Sorry about him, he's in an odd mood tonight..."
"Don't apologise," Kevin said. "It's not like you can control him. He's old enough and ugly enough to know better."
Lily gave a light little laugh at that, smiling at Kevin before excusing herself to go after her surly boyfriend. Rose didn't miss the opportunity to give her one of those looks that told Lily they'd be talking about this later.
.
"So, Scorpius," Teddy started.
"Come on guys!" Scorp groaned. "I did initiation!"
"We know, we know," Fred said.
"This is the complimentary, break her and your dead, talk," James grinned, squeezing Scorp's shoulder a little tighter.
"Hey guys, wait up!" Al called from behind them.
"Al!" Scorp sighed in relief before seeing his face. "You're on their side, aren't you?
"Yes, I am," Al smirked.
"Me too," Hugo called as he came up behind Al.
"Okay," Scorp said. "I don't understand why you feel the need to do this, you know? I've been witness to your colourful imaginations and what you'd like to do to a person who hurts your family..."
"Well, the thing is, Rose actually loves you," Al said. "Which is a first."
"Yeah, usually she just thinks she loves a guy," Hugo said.
"So, we really really will hurt you, a lot, if you break her heart." James looked at him seriously, all joking aside.
"Guys, I love her too," Scorp said. "Just as much as she loves me. I won't break her heart because I'd be breaking mine too."
"Your going to treat her right," James continued.
"You're going to give her everything she wants," Fred continued.
"You'll defend her and protect her," Teddy said.
"Keep her safe and make sure she knows you love her." Hugo joined in.
"Anything to add Al?" James asked.
"I'll let Scorpius blow up at you first before I say my piece," Al chuckled, watching his brother and cousins suddenly register the dark glare in Scorp's eye.
"Firstly..." Scorp snapped. "...of course I'll bloody treat her right! Why the hell d'you think it's taken us this long to get together?! Secondly, I won't give her everything she wants, because that isn't healthy for anyone! I'll do my best to give her everything she needs, but even then I might fail, I am only human. Thirdly, have you met Rose Weasley?! I don't need to defend and protect her, she can do it her bloody self! The only people she needs defending from are you bloody morons who I swear sometimes still see her as some eight year old little girl. And lastly, I will always keep her safe and tell her I love her, you arseholes! What d'you take me for? Some kind of amateur?!"
"Welcome to the family." James shuffled his feet and looked at him apologetically.
"What's your two pence worth then?" Scorp glared at Al.
"Always be her best friend," Al said with a soft smile. "Don't give that up for anyone, including me."
Scorpius flung his arms around Albus and squeezed him tight.
"You'll always be my best mate," Scorp said. "It's different with Rose, she's my best everything..."
"If I didn't love you both so much I'd be insanely jealous," Al grumbled.
"You'll find someone," Scorp said. "Or your mother will find someone for you..." he smirked.
"Don't!" Al huffed. "She's already trying to set me up with Lou!"
"I think you two would make a pretty decent couple you know," James grinned.
"You're just saying that so I'll get over your fiancé quicker," Al grouched.
"It does have its appeal," James sighed.
"Come on," Teddy said. "Let's get back to the rest of the crowd."
"Yeah, my girlfriend said she might come today. I told her we had a means and ways of keeping everything super quiet..." Hugo shifted nervously.
"Really?!" Teddy, Fred and James all snapped their heads around to him, their wide eyes alight with excitement.
"Damnit! I knew I should have kept my mouth shut!" Hugo groaned.
"Come on cuz, we've been covering for the pair of you most of the holidays!" James grinned.
"It's only fair we know who this lucky lady is," Fred smirked.
"You don't know her, honestly," Hugo said. "She's a muggle-born and doesn't stick out in school at all."
"Is she bringing her kid?" Teddy asked.
"If she comes, yeah," Hugo said with a small nod.
"How old did you say her daughter was?" Al asked.
"One and a half," Hugo said. "I haven't told mum or dad yet though..."
"Please! Your parents are going to be fine! It's not like you got the girl pregnant, and if Uncle Ron can cope with Scorpius Malfoy dating his daughter I think you're going to be okay. Besides, if she's muggle-born your mum'll love her." Fred laughed at Hugo's pale face.
"Come on Hu, you don't even know if she's coming yet!" Teddy grinned.
"Ten seconds ago I didn't, now I do," Hugo swallowed thickly as he spotted the girl in question exit the back door, a cute little brunette with a button nose snuggled up in her arms.
"Is that her?!" Al asked incredulously.
"Yeah..." Hugo nodded.
"Well don't just stand there like a fucking lemon, the poor girl looks petrified!" Fred shoved his younger cousin towards his girlfriend, standing to watch the encounter with the other four.
.
"Is that...?" Roxie trailed off as she caught site of Hugo blushing profusely as he approached a somewhat familiar girl who'd just appeared in the garden.
"I do believe it is, dear sister of mine," Fred grinned as him and the other guys rejoined the crowd currently stood around Rose and the almost empty box of firewhiskey.
"Well, this ought to be interesting," Dom chuckled, watching as the little girl launched herself at Hugo.
"Someone care to explain? You know, for those of us who don't talk Potter or Weasley?" Tyler smirked.
"Oh yes! Sorry!" Rose shook her head. "That's Hugo's girlfriend, and her daughter. We've never met them because Hugo kept them a secret from all of us until recently."
"Why'd he keep it a secret?" Jackson frowned.
"Because being affiliated with us lot, especially in a romantic sense, means a definite loss of privacy where the press and public are concerned. She didn't want her little girl getting caught up in it before they finished school," Rose explained. "What changed their minds?" She asked the guys.
"Hugo told her we have ways of keeping our private lives private. I have a feeling he probably told her about all our kids that the press haven't got a clue about," Teddy said.
"Hey! Hugo! You gonna actually introduce us lot or what?!" James hollered at him. He winced as Rose smacked him around the arm and gave him a reprimanding glare. Hugo and his girlfriend came to join their large group, a nervous shuffle to their steps.
"Thanks James," Hugo mumbled.
"Anytime mate, anytime," James grinned widely at him.
"Okay, so, this is Connie and her daughter Amelia," Hugo gestured to his girlfriend and her little girl who was clutching onto Hugo for dear life. "Connie and Mia, this is everyone..." and Hugo went around the group introducing them all.
"It's nice to meet you Connie," Rose smiled. "Your little girl is beautiful."
"Thanks," Connie smiled back shyly.
"So, what's going on here then?" Ron asked as he ambled up to them all, Harry at his heels and Ginny not far behind.
"Dad, this is my girlfriend Connie," Hugo stammered. "And this is her daughter Amelia."
"Her daughter?!" Ron blanched for a second, factoring in that Hugo and Connie were only seventeen and giving himself a minute to digest that. "What's her last name?" Ron asked tentatively.
"Belbake," Hugo said. "She's a muggle-born."
"Thank Merlin for that!" Ron breathed out a heavy sigh of relief. "I can deal with a young muggle-born mother." He shrugged and smirked at Scorpius.
"Thanks Mr Weasley," Scorp sighed playfully. Rose laughed.
"We all have you to thank for our parents taking so many of our 'big deals' so well," Rose smiled lovingly at him. "Nothing can be worse than a Malfoy." She kissed his cheek affectionately as he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, speaking of which, where's your dad?" Ginny asked Scorp. "I did invite him? And the Carrow? Where'd he sneak off to?" She looked at her daughter.
"Dex went home, he was being a prat and now he's sulking like a child." Lily glared at her mother.
"And Draco?" Ginny looked back to Scorp.
"He's probably at Uncle Blaise's, being a prat and sulking like a child," Scorp said. "Ow!" He rubbed his ribs where Rose had elbowed them.
"What happened?" Ginny frowned.
"He's fine, Monday just took a lot out of him," Rose said, shooting a warning look at those who knew what she was talking about.
"Well, tell him he gets a free pass this time, but next time he ignores my invite I'll drag him here by his hair," Ginny said.
"Will do," Scorp grinned.
"I don't understand what's happening?" Connie whispered to Hugo, looking strangely at Scorp and Rose.
"What?" He frowned, following her line of sight. "Oh! Yeah...so, a couple of weeks after we broke up for summer, Rose was babysitting all the littlies and everyone bailed on her. It was Rose Weasley versus nine screaming children all five years old or under..." Hugo had put on his best dramatic voice and Connie was trying her best not to laugh. "...when who should appear to save the day but one Scorpius Malfoy..." he gave a little flourish towards Scorp who bowed theatrically before Hugo carried on. "...the testing trials of babysitting nine Weasley-Potter children bonded them in a friendship no one had foreseen since witnessing the almost violent rivalry they had in school. The friendship eventually-after a great deal of patience on all our parts-led to the confession of a deep and true love culminating in the disgusting romance you see before you. Will the world survive this pairing unscathed? Or will it change us all forever?"
"Okay, Hu, you can stop now," Scorp snickered as he looped his arm lazily around Rose's shoulders.
"Wow, I'd never have bet you two would end up together!" Connie said, having witnessed first hand their many encounters at school.
"Bet! Of course!" Al cried. "Who won the bet?! When did you finally become a couple?!"
"Can you stop saying finally like that? You make it sound as though you had to wait years," Rose huffed.
"It felt like years," Al mumbled. "It was years for me." He added to himself.
"Two weeks," Scorpius said.
"Two weeks?! Two fu...fudging weeks?!" Al cried. "Why didn't you say anything?!"
"Because...we knew you'd all see it as a big deal and we weren't ready for it to be anyone's big deal but our own," Scorpius said.
"Merlin, I hate how your excuses for that stuff just make me even more sure that you and her are the real deal," Al grumbled.
"You're just jealous," Scorpius laughed.
"Am not," Al said rather childishly, glaring at Scorp and trying to silently motion for him to shut up on account of his mother stood right next to him.
"Are to," Scorp grinned mischievously at him.
"Am not!" Al cried.
"He wouldn't have to be jealous if he'd just make a move," Ginny said frustratedly.
"Make a move on who?" James frowned.
"Why?! Why'd you have to ask that question?!" Albus huffed at his older brother who was grinning at him happily, knowing exactly what he'd done.
"Louise of course!" Ginny gestured to the blonde girl who folded her arms and adopted a slightly defensive stance.
"Gin..." Harry started.
"We aren't at work!" Ginny cried.
"I know, but still...it's a little bit harsh sis," Ron said. "Bloody hilarious, but harsh."
"Ronald! Language!" Ginny slapped him irritably.
"Ow!" Ron huffed. "And sorry Connie, I forget myself sometimes."
"Don't worry about it Mr Weasley," Connie smiled softly.
.
"What's going on over here?" Hermione reiterated Ron's question from a few moments ago, frowning at Ginny's sour expression.
"Quite a bit, actually," Harry grinned.
"Okay, so, Rose and Scorpius are now officially a thing," Ron said.
"And you haven't had a meltdown?" Hermione frowned, touching her hand to his forehead in jest. "Are you feeling okay?"
"You're going to pay for that comment dearly," Ron's mouth twitched up into a reluctant smile.
"Congratulations you two," Hermione smiled at her daughter and Scorpius.
"Thanks Mrs Weasley," Scorp smiled back.
"Call me Hermione," she grinned.
"Right," Ron said, getting back to business. "Hugo then introduced me to Connie, his girlfriend, and her daughter Amelia..." Ron gestured to the young woman and the little girl Hugo had his arms around.
"Hi," Hermione blurted out a little weakly.
"Hi..." Connie cleared her throat nervously.
"And you didn't implode over that either?" Hermione looked at her husband.
"A Malfoy will do funny things to you," Ron concluded and Hermione chuckled.
"It's nice to meet you Connie," Hermione said, turning back to the girl with a smile. "Forgive me for my impoliteness, it all just caught me by surprise..."
"I understand, it's quite alright," Connie said.
"No it really isn't, I'm sorry." Hermione looked sincerely at her and Connie nodded, giving her a soft smile which Hermione returned.
Hermione rounded on Hugo with a motherly type fierceness. "Why wouldn't you tell your parents you were in a serious relationship?!"
"Uh, well..." Hugo opened and shut his mouth a few times.
"My goodness Hu! A little heads up would have been nice! But no! We have to learn about the woman you love along with everyone else in this family!" Hermione huffed.
Hugo blanched. "Mum! We haven't said..." he shuffled embarrassedly while Connie looked down at the ground, her face a brilliant red. "Merlin!" He huffed. "We haven't said anything about love yet!"
"Oh please!" Hermione dismissed him. "Your in a serious relationship with a young mother, if you didn't love her you'd have run a mile by now! And if you haven't told her you love her yet, I obviously didn't raise you right!"
"Mum..." Hugo groaned.
"Mione," Ron began, in much the same tone Harry had used with Ginny.
"What?!" Hermione cried defensively. "Is it wrong to be so concerned with the wellbeing of my children?! He could lose her if he doesn't tell her he loves her!" Hugo went a little pale at that truth.
"Exactly!" Ginny screeched. "We just want our children to be happy! But no! Dare we attest to how that might happen!"
"What's Gin up to now?" Hermione asked Ron with a groan.
"Well, I was just getting to that," Ron smirked. "She's trying to set Al up with Louise, one of Rose's team members."
"Oh," Hermione frowned in contemplation. "Why is that a bad thing?"
"Thank you Mione!" Ginny cried.
"Because she's being totally inappropriate about it!" Al was close to stamping his foot and huffing like a child. "Louise is my work colleague Auntie Mione. I thought it was against the rules for coworkers to date?"
"More like frowned upon actually, but so long as you let your superior know it would be fine. In this case it would be Rose," Hermione said.
"I'll keep a note of it Al," Rose was desperately trying to stifle her laughter.
"Oh shove off!" Al glared at her.
"I don't understand why you're getting so defensive little brother," James smirked. "Is there something wrong with the lovely lady?"
"Don't you start!" Al pointed his finger accusingly at him.
"What? I'm just, taking an interest in your wellbeing," James laughed.
"You're lucky there is a child present," Al said. "On second thought-" he turned to Hugo. "Go take Amelia to meet the other kids, so I can scream and shout and curse at our awful family."
"Sorry Al, but you're too late. They're all heading this way now," Hugo smirked.
"SCORPIUS!" Frankie screamed and ran at the blonde, squealing as Scorp picked him up and flung him round.
"Hey Frankie, how's it going?" Scorp grinned and ruffled the boy's hair as he adjusted him in his arms.
"Can you come and play with us?" Max asked from down on the ground.
"Sure," Scorp grinned.
"And Uncle Al," Mickey said.
"Uncle Al is too busy trying to quell his mother's advances on his friend in his name," Fred said with a smirk as Al scowled at him.
"What?" Mickey frowned.
"Uh, Auntie Gin is trying to set him up with the blonde lady stood next to Auntie Rose," Teddy said.
"Oh," Mickey said with a nod. "Well, she can come and play too?"
"What's your name?" Frankie asked Louise from Scorp's arms.
"Louise," She smiled.
"Do you want to go out with Uncle Al?" Frankie asked. Al groaned.
"Not really," Louise said, scrunching her nose up.
"Why? What's wrong with him?" Frankie asked.
"Nothing really, but we're just friends," Louise explained.
"Friends like Auntie Dom and Auntie Lily or friends like Auntie Rose and Scorpius?" Frankie asked.
"Friends like Auntie Dom and Auntie Lily," Louise laughed.
"Auntie Rose and Scorpius aren't friends anymore," Teddy smirked at his son. "They're a proper couple now."
"With real kissing and everything?" Frankie grimaced and looked at Scorpius as the adults chuckled.
"Yeah, real kissing and everything," Scorp sighed.
"But you don't want to do real kissing with Uncle Al?" Frankie asked Louise whose cheeks had turned a little pink at such an abrupt question.
"Is it because his breath smells?" Max asked innocently, and Louise couldn't help snorting at Albus' mortified look and subsequent eye roll.
"Merlin! And you lot wonder why I never bring anyone home?!" He cried in exasperation.
"No, it's not because his breath smells, it's just because I don't feel that way about him," Louise said.
"Why not?" Mickey asked.
"I don't know, I just don't." She shrugged.
"You know, if you gave him a shot-" Ginny started.
"Mum!" Al cried.
"Don't worry about it Al, I'm one of those people who dig their heels in the more they're pushed," Louise smiled sweetly, levelling her eyes at Ginny. Quite a number of the surrounding group all dropped their jaws, Al included. Ginny just gave her a respective nod and continued to smirk.
.
"So, now can you come and play with us?" Max frowned at the grown ups.
"I've got a bit of a different game I think would be fun to play," Fred said.
"But dad..." Mickey huffed. "We wanted to play football!"
"Well, this one involves me lifting the ban on working with your sisters for the next few minutes," Fred glared over at Scorpius who looked at him with wide, guilty eyes.
"What's the game?" Max shared a look with Mickey and both the boys folded their arms and fixed their father with a contemplative gaze.
"Bring down Scorpius Malfoy," Fred said darkly.
"Fred..." Scorp looked at him with wide eyes.
"You didn't tell him, did you?" Fred asked Rose.
"No, I forgot," Rose said, unable to stifle her giggles.
"Tell me what?" Scorp frowned.
"My children decided, on your advice, to work together one afternoon. Something akin to Home Alone happened... . ." Fred growled.
"Its was hilarious!" Sarah piped up, laughing at the memory. "He's just upset that you managed to prank the prankster with his own kids."
"Wife of mine!" Fred cried in mock betrayal.
"It's the truth!" Sarah laughed, kissing him sweetly.
"Mum!" Max made an icky noise and glared at his parents.
"Who's that?" Chloe asked as she joined the crowd, the rest of the children and a few more adults following.
"This is Amelia," Hugo said. He sat on the floor and introduced her to all the little ones now very intrigued by their new, peer-sized guest.
"Well that's great, my kids aren't going to get my revenge," Fred huffed. "I guess I'll have to do it myself!" With that a jet of water shot out of Fred's wand and landed squarely in Scorp's face.
"WATER WARS!" Came several roared replies and suddenly everyone was springing apart and grouping together in teams similar to that at the previous battle.
"You're going down Granger!" Scorpius yelled, also now too used to Draco's use of her mother's maiden name.
"I believe I'll take that challenge, Malfoy!" Hermione shot back, leaving Scorpius stunned and a little pale. Ron laughed and clapped him on the back.
"Challenged accepted!" He shouted back at his wife.
"Sorry about this Connie," Hugo sighed. "It's sort of hard to explain the weird dynamics of my family..."
"It's fine, they remind me of my own," she sighed sadly.
"Are you thinking of how much you'll miss them? Now you have to go back to school?" Hermione asked softly.
"Oh no," Connie said, shaking her head. "My family had enough trouble accepting that I was a witch, once I got pregnant they sort of...uh...cut me off..." she shrugged awkwardly.
"They...they cut you off?" Hermione did her best to remain expressionless.
"Yes," Connie said. "It happened a while ago now, obviously. And I have Mia so it's not so bad..."
"How long have you been seeing my son?" Hermione asked.
"Uh, nearly a year. We started up at the beginning of school last year..." Connie trailed off at the almost furious look in Hermione's eye.
Hermione turned abruptly to her blissfully ignorant son, still sat on the floor with the children. Her arms folded and her foot tapping impatiently on the floor brought Hugo out of his little child-filled bubble. He gulped at the expression on his mother's face.
"Hugo Wilfred Weasley!" Hermione hissed.
"Mum?!" Hugo climbed to his feet and despite the good few inches he had on Hermione, still cowered under her gaze.
"Nearly a year?! You kept Connie a secret for nearly a year?!" Hermione screeched.
"Hermione love? War is about to start, can you not do that later?" Ron called out.
"No!" Hermione barked and Ron just nodded, looking back at his team and shrugging.
"Mum..."
"Don't you mum me! She's just told me her family cut her off! Why didn't you invite her for Christmas?!" Hermione looked incredulously at him. "Or Easter?! Or the holidays?!"
"Wh...uh...didn't, didn't think...?" Hugo appeared thoroughly chastised.
"Clearly," Hermione grit out from between clenched teeth. "Merlin, I never thought I could raise such an ignorant git. Even if we hadn't have approved of your relationship, which would have been ridiculous when you already know half of what we got up to at your age, you could have gone and spent time with Connie and Amelia!"
"Mrs Weasley," Connie rushed. "It's not his fault! Honestly. We kept it a secret because I wanted to. I'm aware that your family doesn't get much privacy and no one at school knows about Mia. I didn't want her dragged into my dramas so I persuaded Hugo to keep us a secret..."
"Oh!" Hermione said in surprise. "Oh, well that is a little bit of a relief!"
"Can you get off your high horse now mum?!" Hugo grumbled.
"Don't push it!" Hermione snapped. "You know fine full well that you could have pretended she was just a friend and we'd have welcomed her with open arms!"
"I seriously didn't think about it!" Hugo cried. "I'm sorry Connie..." he looked guiltily at his girlfriend who was trying to stifle her giggles.
"It's fine, I'm here now," she smiled.
"And I couldn't be happier," Hugo grinned.
"Right, now, water wars..." Hermione rubbed her hands together. "I believe my future son-in-law just goaded me into a fight..."
"Here Hu..." Connie held her arms out for her daughter. "I'll take Mia, you play..."
"Don't let him have all the fun," Hermione smiled at the young woman. "Rose, charm the children..."
"On it!" Rose called as she waved her wand and set the waterproof shields on all the younger kids.
"You can play too now and Amelia won't get wet," Hermione grinned. "You can hex my lovely son for being such a dunce this past year."
"Connie..." Hugo backed away slowly.
"Yes sweetheart," Connie toyed with her wand and narrowed her eyes.
"I still have Mia." He nodded at the little girl in question and put on his best puppy dog eyes.
"Rose is a genius, I trust she waterproofed my daughter well," Connie snorted before sending a stream of water out of her wand and straight into Hugo's face. Hugo sputtered a bit and Amelia wriggled in his arms, laughing at the look on his face and all the water dripping off him.
"Oh its on!" Hugo laughed. "Mia, are you going to play on mummy's team or are you staying with me?"
"Who-go," she said, gripping onto him a little tighter.
"Traitor," Connie giggled as she watched Hugo join the opposite team alongside her daughter.
"They always are," Hermione smiled warmly. "You raise them, spend every spare hour with them, give them every last piece of your bloody soul and it's always someone else they want to play with."
"It's nice though," Connie sighed contentedly. "He's amazing with her, kind of makes me feel like there's hope, you know?"
"That's because there is Connie," Hermione said. "Welcome to the family, we have trouble letting go."
Connie felt her eyes tear up and cleared her throat, trying to suppress the overwhelming emotions currently rushing through her at being so openly and absolutely accepted by this family.
"Thank you," she whispered and Hermione nodded, a knowing look in her eye.
"Just watch out for Scorpius," Rose grinned as she joined their conversation. "He has a bit of a thing for Hugo and I'm not sure it's entirely one sided."
"Yes, I've heard," Connie sniggered. "How far d'you reckon we could get them to go? You know, if we wound them up enough and played them like fiddles?"
Rose looked at her with wide eyes before rushing to hug her.
"You are everything I ever dreamed I'd find in a sister-in-law," Rose grinned. "If it doesn't work out with my idiot brother, we'll just adopt you, okay?"
"Okay..." Connie part laughed and part gaped like a fish, a little stunned by the forward affection the whole family seemed to have.
"Come on Grangers! You've got ten seconds before we make the first move!" Scorpius yelled.
"You're going down Malfoy!" Hermione yelled back. "Along with every Weasley, Potter and Lupin that's standing with you!"
"Bring it on Auntie Mione!" Frankie cried.
.
Teddy looked in awe at his son. James, Albus, Hugo, Ron and Scorpius all looked at him in shock. The teams were fairly evenly matched with an array of family members yet to pick a side and Rose's work lot all seeming a little lost.
"Guys, you don't have to stand with her because she's your boss," Al grinned.
The teams ended up as follows:
The Rebellion (as they called themselves, fed up of Rose's tyranny) was comprised of Scorpius, Ron, Al, James, Teddy, Hugo, Harry, Charlie, Fleur, Angelina, Louis, Roxanne, Sarah, Gabe, Flick, Louise, Jackson and Kevin, plus Frankie, Amelia and Samuel.
The Empire (as named by Ginny who had an obsession with Star Wars, and couldn't not vehemently oppose the Rebellion even in name) comprised of Rose, Hermione, Ginny, Polly, Victoire, Connie, Bill, George, Dominique, Fred, Lucy, Piper and Tyler, plus Fred's two sets of twins.
Molly, Arthur, Percy, Audrey, Molly II and her husband Mark sat out and watched with the younger children.
The battle broke out quite quickly, both teams instinctively taking a side of the garden each. Water was streaming out of wands into faces and at bodies. The children were all squealing in delight and running around with charmed water pistols that refilled themselves as soon as they were empty. Hermione had targeted Scorpius from the start, Rose firing water at her boyfriend as he was attacked by her mother. Ron laughed but backed him up nonetheless, something a few months ago Rose would have bet more than just her entire family's fortune on never happening.
Hermione was quick with her wand, the usual paper canaries had now become water birds and were constantly swarming both Ron and Scorpius. The teams had divided into smaller groups, funnily enough consisting of opposing spouses.
Scorpius had managed a good shielding charm to protect both him and Ron from Hermione's birds. He sent a stream of water out the end of his wand and towards his future mother-in-law.
"Is that the best you can do Malfoy?" Hermione was practically cackling.
"You're not afraid of my mother, are you?" Rose asked sweetly as she showered him with heavy rain from above, disarming his shield in the process.
"Of course I am! I'd be an idiot not to be!" Scorpius laughed. "But I see your challenge Mrs, sorry, Hermione, and accept!" With a small flourish Scorpius sent a strong jet of water straight into Hermione's face, leaving the witch spluttering in surprise.
"Sor-"
"Never apologise," Ron said seriously as he cut Scorp off. "This is war." Taking advantage of his wife's shock, Ron fired another tidal wave type spell at her, knocking both her, Rose and several other members of their team to the floor. He got some decent applause from a few of his own team mates before the battle recommenced seconds later.
The teams were pretty evenly matched, a large amount of water being thrown each way. Molly and Arthur had taken to performing drying spells on the ground through their laughter at the scene. Just as Rose thought her team had the upper hand Scorpius played his wild card.
"Max! Mickey! Charlie! Chloe! Weaponise!" He bellowed and not a second later all four of Fred kid's turned on their team and spaced themselves evenly apart facing them. A flick of Scorp's wand enlarged their water pistols into cannons and a second later they were firing large jets of water at Rose's team, effectively knocking them all over and keeping them down.
"Expelliarmus!" Ron yelled above the screams and Rose's team lost their wands. The twins all stopped blasting them and the lot of them got to their feet, dripping and bedraggled, to face the victorious opposition.
"What was that?!" Fred cried. "I'm your dad!"
"But Scorp was the one who gave us the idea to work together, we owed him. And you said always pay your debits!" Max pointed out to a defeated Fred.
"I believe that was a win to you," Rose said. "A sneaky win, but a win nonetheless."
Scorpius bowed with a flourish. He smirked at his gorgeous girlfriend and handed her back her wand. He looped an arm around her waist as she came closer and pulled her in, setting his lips on hers in a sweet but chaste kiss.
"Congratulation Mr Malfoy, I believe that leaves us at one all," Rose said, unable to control the small smile on her lips.
"Thank you Miss Weasley," Scorpius grinned. "Best two out of three I think. Next battle, winner wins the war?"
"I think so," Rose said. "I'm not sure Nanna and Gramps' garden can take more than one more battle."
"Come on you lot, lets get you clean and dry!" Molly called from the back door. "I need help setting up the table and finishing dinner."
"Coming!" Rose called back, among the voices of her other family members.