A/N: This is a companion/sequel to Our Mercurial Selves. I strongly suggest you read that one first before you read this one so you know what's going on. I hope you enjoy!

Hermione Malfoy was aware of the stares she was getting from the new administrative assistant. The boy watched her with a half open mouth, until the girl who trained him sighed heavily and snapped, "You're going to have to get used to it, she's your boss!"

In the eight years she had worked at the Department for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures she had become familiar with the gawking that came whenever someone realized that she was the woman who had killed Albus Dumbledore. The fact that half of her family were war heroes made them watch her even closer.

She sighed, and checked the clock. It was half past closing time. She made a few last minute notes in the file on Hippogriff classification, and collected her things.

"Headed home?" The girl, Maggie asked. She had a sickly sweet tone that set Hermione's teeth on edge.

"I just need you to reshelve these," Hermione said briskly. She handed off the stack of files, "And then you can leave early. I hear we're getting snow tonight."

The boy stared at her, but Hermione gave him a polite nod. It took a full week to get Maggie to talk to her, she hoped that it would only take a few days for him.

"Safe travels," Hermione said awkwardly. She threw open the door, rushed out, and collided with someone.

"Watch it Malfoy!" A familiar voice growled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Stalking me again, Weasley?" She gave Ron Weasley a once over as she collected her spilled belongings. "You can't blame this one on a random search," she pointed out, "You're no longer a member of the Auror department."

Weasley had the grace to look embarrassed. "Believe it or not," he said, and his tone was actually pleasant, "I'm not here for you." He jerked his head down the hall. "My girlfriend is finishing up for the night. We have dinner plans." He held out his hand to help her up.

For a moment, Hermione stared at it, then she took his help. To her surprise, he did not disappear the moment she stood.

"I hear you're- well, I hear Bellatrix is expecting."

Hermione felt a thrill at the reminder, and the smile she gave him was genuine. "That's right. Twins."

"Draco says they're due any day now," Ron said. He laughed awkwardly, and rubbed the back of his neck, "Merlin, Ginny says it's bad enough with one. I couldn't imagine having twins."

Hermione bristled, "I'm sure we'll find a way to manage."

Ron laughed again, "Yeah, you never seem to have an issue managing." There was no malice in his words. His blue eyes were genuine.

At that moment, a door opened down the corridor, and a woman's voice called, "Ronnie?"

Hermione gave him a tight smile, "Goodbye, Weasley."

"I'm sure I'll see you around, Malfoy. After all, your brother is one of us now."

She grimaced at the reminder. Draco and Charlie had returned from a holiday to the Mediterranean with matching rings and plans to open a Dragon Sanctuary in Scotland.

"For those that can't be released in the wild," Draco had explained while he blissfully described every moment of his honeymoon. "You know, illegal pets and injured ones and such. There's a breed of tiny dragons in the north. Sometimes the schoolchildren…"

Hermione shook her head, and found her way to the floo port. She was alone in the Atrium, and she almost walked by the restored fountain. Then she doubled back.

Every Wednesday she dropped a coin in the fountain as a testament to her father's memory. She took a silver sickle from her pocket, and watched it glimmer in the light. A moment later it splashed into the water, and made a soft little plunk as it hit the bottom of the fountain.

She felt that something was wrong the moment she returned home. She had been so preoccupied with work that she didn't feel that Bellatrix's occlumency shields were up.

Turnip whined at the bottom of the staircase, his ears back. Hermione didn't bother taking her cloak off as she rushed up the stairs.

The voices hit her first. Winky's high, anxious, "Please let me fetch Mistress, Miss Bellatrix. Please!"

"No!" Bellatrix's voice was strained and heavy. "Wait a little while longer!"

Hermione plunged into the room, "Bella, what's wrong? Tell me? Is it the babies? Is it time?"

Bellatrix was half bent over, her elbows on the foot of the bed. Her face was red and slick, and her pupils were wide with terror. "No," she moaned, "No, it's not time. It can't be. We have another month."

Winky turned to Hermione, and her eyes were firm. "Miss Bellatrix has been feeling pains since dinner last night, but she did not tell Winky until lunch," the elf said the last few words with an air of forced acceptance. "She will not let Winky or Dobby tell Mistress, or fetch the midwife."

"Fetch her!" Hermione blustered. "Fetch her now!"

Dobby popped into the room with a mussed-looking Nancy in tow. "Dobby has the midwife!"

"You're fired!" Bellatrix bellowed, groaning from her place over the bed. She panted a little and spat, "Get out now!"

Dobby grinned, "Mistress cannot fire Dobby, for his wages come from Miss Hermione, and He is on contract." He practically bounced over to the nightstand, and picked up a cloth that had been sitting in a bowl of water.

"Hermione, write it into the next contract that I can fire Dobby," Bellatrix groaned.

Hermione shucked off her cloak, and threw it over a chair. "You'd never forgive me," she said as she climbed onto the bed. "You love pretending to fire him just as much as he loves telling you that you can't."

Bellatrix groaned again, and clutched Hermione desperately as Nancy moved her into position to examine her. Her hand found Hermione's and squeezed.

"This was a stupid idea," Bellatrix growled as she rested her head against Hermione's chest. "Whose idea was it? Yours?"

"No, my love," Hermione said, ignoring the crushing pain in her hand, "it was yours."

"I don't believe you," Bellatrix panted. "This has your harebrained nonsense written all over it. You and that elf!" She groaned again, and it turned into a yell at the end.

"Not long now," Nancy said brightly. "Don't mind if I-" She opened her case, and a table blossomed from it. The rest of the materials followed, setting themselves up on the tabletop. Hermione eyed a particularly sinister looking instrument, and gulped.

Trying to keep it light, Hermione said, "I remember it perfectly. I came home to a filthy kitchen, a melted cauldron, and you holding a glowing green potion in your hand, and you know what you said?"

"Nothing good ever comes from a green bottle?" Bellatrix spat.

"No," Hermione reminded her, "You said that you and Dobby had decided that the one thing our family was missing was a baby."

"A baby," Bellatrix pointed out. "Not two! Dove, we're not ready. We needed another month to get the nursery set up, and to finish those books," her voice dropped to a whisper, "I didn't read any of them, Hermione, I'm not prepared!"

Hermione tightened her hold on Bellatrix, and crooned gently, "We'll never be completely ready, Bella. But we'll be fine. We have everything we need, and we can finish the rest later. We'll be fine." Her own stomach lurched with nerves, but she forced them down to focus on her wife. "We always are, aren't we?"

Dark eyes stared plaintively for a moment, and then something in them shifted. With a shaky breath, Bellatrix nodded.

"There," Hermione murmured. "It's going to be fine."

Bellatrix leaned back against her and barked at Nancy, "When do I get the pain potion!?"

XX

It was the early hours of the morning when Narcissa finally made her way down Thistle Lane. The street was much transformed from what it had been seven years earlier, and Narcissa often spent her weekends perusing the shops. It had a quieter air than Diagon Alley, though it was quickly becoming a popular destination.

A few wizards greeted her politely from the balcony over the pub, and she nodded back. The man at her side stiffened, and muttered under his breath about "baseless hooligans."

"Oh Sev, they're only saying hello." She said. "I do wish they had called me earlier."

Severus patted her hand on his arm, "They probably had other things on their mind."

Hermione met them at the door, her face flushed with excitement. Narcissa had never seen her daughter look so happy.

"Everyone's fine," she said before Narcissa could open her mouth to ask. "Bellatrix is resting, she had a hard time of it. The younger one had to be coaxed out," she babbled, "Bellatrix says it was worse than a cruciactus, but Nancy says it's really not as bad as it sounded. There was a problem with their breathing, but Nancy had a potion that sorted it all out, and she says they'll be just fine. Bella is worried, of course, but Nancy says-"

"Hermione," Severus drawled, "Please take a breath before you collapse." There was an interested gleam in his eye, "Perhaps you could tell us if we have granddaughters or grandsons."

"Both," Hermione answered them with a grin, and led them upstairs.

Narcissa felt her stomach flutter in excitement as they got closer to her grandchildren. And niece and nephew, a small voice told her. She forced it down, and focused on her excitement.

Hermione raced ahead of them, and disappeared into her room.

The landing outside Hermione and Bellatrix's room was crowded, and Narcissa felt a flicker of impatience. It soothed somewhat when her son stepped forward to embrace her. A moment later her son-in-law joined in the embrace, and she felt her feet leave the ground.

"Put me down, Charlie!" She tried to scold, but the good mood on the landing was overpowering. "Hello, Harry dear," she said, spotting the man over Charlie's shoulder.

Harry stepped forward to give her a proper hug once her feet were on solid ground again.

She kissed his cheek, "Are you here to name your heir?" She asked.

Harry nodded, "As if Bellatrix would allow me to do anything else," he said. His green eyes twinkled. "She's been reminding me every day since the pregnancy was confirmed."

Narcissa reached up to cup his chin, "That's what you get for making promises when you've been drinking." In a lower voice she said, "And Ginny doesn't mind? I know your eldest is the Potter heir, but you might have another…"

Harry shook his head, "It's better this way," he said. "It should have gone to Bellatrix, if Sirius knew which side she'd be on," and he grinned fondly, "And if he knew that Hermione was the other parent, I'm sure he would'nt have left it to me."

Narcissa smiled, contented.

Coram came from around Charlie, and gave her a scratchy kiss on the cheek. He had recently decided to experiment with beards, and the patchy result was not his best look. It made him look younger than ever.

"Nervous, Auntie Cissy?" He asked, nodding politely to Severus.

She laughed, "Not at all."

Then, the door to the bedroom opened, and the room fell silent.

Hermione emerged with a brilliant smile and a purple blanket. "Mother first," she said, walking past the men. "This is Regulus," she breathed, "the younger one."

Narcissa's breath caught at the sight of her first grandson. He was red, and wrinkled, and absolutely perfect. His tiny fist came up and pressed against his eye. The shining hair atop his head was black, and already had a bit of a curl.

Beside her, Harry asked, "The younger one? Does that mean that this is-"

"The future Heir Black," Hermione finished. "Yes, and it's the first thing that Bellatrix said after he was born so you better not be having doubts."

"I'm not!" Harry said quickly. He leaned over, and put his hand on the blanket. "Hello, little man. Welcome to the family."

Coram stepped in between her and Severus, "He's so tiny."

As if on cue, Draco squeezed in beside Harry, and Charlie peered over their shoulders.

"Don't crowd him," Hermione said anxiously, and Narcissa smiled tenderly at her.

"Isn't there another?" Severus asked.

Hermione started, and looked torn between taking Regulus back and disappearing back into the room.

"He'll be fine, darling," Narcissa reassured her. "You can leave the door open."

Hermione did, and she heard Bellatrix loudly declare that "they better have all washed their hands!"

A moment later, Hermione returned with a soft green blanket. Narcissa carefully handed Regulus to Severus, and said "Don't worry, you won't drop him," to her husband.

For a moment both Severus and Hermione looked alarmed, but the baby soon settled in Severus' arms.

"A daughter?" Narcissa asked as she took the tiny bundle.

Hermione nodded, "Lucia."

Narcissa felt a curious mix of elation and sadness at her granddaughter's name. She had no doubt as to the inspiration, and she smiled down into the baby girl's face. Lucia was just as pink and wrinkled as Regulus, but her lips had a natural curve to them, and her hair was so light it was nearly translucent. She opened her eyes and peered up at her grandmother, and Narcissa rocked her gently. "Hello, little one," she crooned.

"How fitting that the Malfoy heir had blue eyes," said Draco. He had long ago given up his claim as Head of the Malfoy family (he insisted that Hermione was more natural at it than he) and Narcissa wondered if he regretted it.

"All babies have blue eyes," said Coram sagely.

"They might not stay that way," warned Hermione, who bit her lip as Regulus waved an arm. She did not notice her brother's expression, and Narcissa was glad of that.

But any shadow that crossed Draco's face disappeared when he stepped closer and said, "Let me hold one, will you? I want to meet them too."

There was a chorus of cooing as the babies made their way around the circle (under Hermione's anxious eyes). Charlie declared them to be the most perfect babies he had ever seen, Harry claimed he could see both Hermione and Bellatrix's features in their faces, Coram marveled at how soft their skin was, and Draco asked if they would always look like that.

"All in all," Severus declared as he held Lucia in the crook of his arm. "I think they are perfectly adequate babies."

And who could argue with that?

There was a timid cough at the door, and they all looked around to see Nancy standing there in a bloodstained apron. The woman looked kindly at Hermione, and then said,

"Bellatrix- er, Mrs. Malfoy-Black, says that she's decent enough to get on with the ceremony now."

Severus handed Lucia to Hermione, and gallantly offered to take Coram and Charlie down to the kitchen for a cup of tea. It was decided that Narcissa would stand as a witness for House Black, and Draco as a witness for House Malfoy. Harry carried Regulus into the room.

Narcissa flew to the bed the moment she stepped into the room and kissed her sister's cheek. "Oh Bella," she breathed, and felt her eyes glisten, "They're absolutely perfect!"

Bellatrix's cheeks were bright pink, and her hair was plastered to her face with sweat, but she looked more elated than Narcissa had ever seen her.

Hermione sat on the bed with Lucia in her arms, and stared intently at Bellatrix. It always made Narcissa feel a prickle of discomfort to see them communicate in such a way; as if she were witnessing something incredibly intimate. She looked over at Draco, who watched the exchange curiously.

Shortly after the war, Hermione and Bellatrix had tried to explain the nature of their bond to Draco and Harry. Harry seemed to understand immediately, and cited something about being a horcrux, but Draco had asked how their bond differed from legilimancy. The conversation made Hermione uncomfortable, so she had abandoned it there.

"Alright," Hermione said, addressing the whole room. "We'll start with Regulus."

Bellatrix grinned expectantly as Narcissa stood and drew her wand, then went to join Harry at the foot of the bed.

Harry nestled Regulus in one arm, and carefully drew his wand. He pointed it at the baby, and said, "I, Head of House Black, declare this child to be my heir in name and magic. I call upon the Black Family magic to hear my declaration and make it so."

Narcissa grinned as something stirred inside her and rose to Harry's call. It wasn't necessary for another family member to second the motion of the Head of House, but it certainly made things easier. She pointed her wand at Regulus and said, "I, member of House Black, accept and acknowledge this child as heir."

There was a pulse of magic, and Bellatrix gasped from the bed. Harry looked at Narcissa in amazement, and muttered, "I can feel it!"

Joy raced through Narcissa's veins from the rush of family magic, and she put an arm around Harry. "That's the family connection," she said, "Perhaps you should call on your family magic more often."

Harry grinned back at her, and moved to hand Regulus to Bellatrix.

"I knew you'd keep your word," Bellatrix said smugly.

Narcissa sat beside her on the bed, and watched her children repeat the ceremony with Lucia. Draco's face softened halfway through, and he grinned from ear to ear by the time the ceremony was complete.

Hermione sat on Bellatrix's other side, and Draco sat at her feet. Narcissa felt her heart swell as she looked at the shining faces of her children, and then at the sleeping faces of her grandchildren.

Oh Lucius, she thought, you would have loved this.

Harry politely slipped away, and Bellatrix's head rested on Narcissa's shoulder. She reached down to trace the curve of Regulus' cheek, and melted when he yawned.

Her eyes drifted over to Hermione, and she laughed at the nervous look on her daughter's face. "She won't bite you," she said.

Hermione looked startled, and then blushed. "I know that!" She insisted, and then her eyes widened, "What does that noise mean? Maybe we should get Nancy before she leaves."

Narcissa laughed and accepted Lucia as Hermione stood to find the poor mediwitch.

"You're just fine, aren't you?" She asked her granddaughter, who let out another squeaky yawn and nestled her head against her arm. To Bellatrix, she said, "You should tell your wife to take a calming draught."

Bellatrix let out a tired laugh, "It doesn't hurt to have them looked over one last time before Nancy goes." She sighed, "I don't know how you did this, Cissy. I feel like I could just look at them forever."

Narcissa rested her cheek against Bellatrix's head. "I know what you mean."

"They're pretty perfect, aren't they?"

And as Narcissa looked between the two babies, she started to see bits and pieces of Hermione in their features. "Yes," she said gently, "They are."

A/N: I just couldn't get this version of Hermione and Bellatrix out of my head. This story has been written for about a year, and I have waited to post it because I didn't know how it would be received, but I feel like posting it today. There's more written about Lucia and Reggie if you're interested in reading, just let me know!

As always, reviews are adored!