"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Rose, happy birthday to you!"
A twelve year old Rose, blows out her candles. Everyone cheers, Hermione has a few tears in her eyes. Rose is the oldest of the three, Scorpius, Albus, and herself.
All of their children were close growing up, their lives forever entwined by their parent's choices. But the three of them were truly inseparable.
Harry is head of the auror department, spending a fair share of time with Draco. His partner of sorts, after Ron left the ministry, to join Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Over the years some might even call them friends. Hermione succeeded Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister for Magic. Rosanna still works interrogations, but truly she's a floater; she goes wherever they need her.
"Alright presents, presents for the birthday girl!" Molly takes her job as grandmother very seriously.
"We have loads to open. Ron, cut the cake for us, will you?" Hermione presses a hand to her husband's back.
"Yeah, Ron. Cut the cake for us!" Not two, but four voices sound in unison. Fred and George Weasley have always been especially fond of the Malfoy twins, and vice versa.
Polaris and Vega were always a bit inspired by the older twins, taking them as role models.
Molly eyes them fondly, yet in warning.
"This one's from me!" Hugo holds up the parcel proudly. "And Mum and Dad."
Rose moves the present to her ear, shaking it with a smile.
"Sounds like-" Scorpius leans closer.
"We're here! We're late! We're sorry, Rose!" Leo rushes into the room, boyfriend Henry in tow. The blonde leans down, kissing Rose's head.
Rose reaches back and offers an awkward sort of hug. "Thanks for coming Leo. I know you're busy."
"Never too busy for you." Leo is jet lagged and sleep deprived, coming off a huge win, as seeker for the Holyhead Harpies. The all female team was headed to the Quiddich World Cup, for the first time in history.
"It's my fault, I'm always slowing her down. The muggle airports are a nightmare!" Henry is a rather tall, lanky man, with chestnut curls that spring freely about his head. As it turns out, squibs can't travel far by apparating with a witch or wizard. So when they travel long distance, it's by plane.
"Tell us about it." Helen, Hermione's mother understands completely.
"Anytime we go on holiday, security is barmy! One time they flagged me because I forgot about my shoe buckle. They checked our luggage twice and we missed the entire flight." Ollie, her husband, chimes in.
The conversation sparks Arthur's interest. In his humble opinion, muggle endeavors where more interesting than most magical ones.
Leo sets her large rectangular box near the growing pile at Rose's feet with a wink.
"It's a broom, isn't it?" Albus enquirers.
"You'll have to wait and see." Leo shrugs, ruffling his hair.
The Malfoy's are known for their extravagant gifts. This stems largely from Draco's upbringing. Gifting was his love language, Rosanna was showered in jewelry and clothing and handbags. Their children were no different, even though they could never possibly wear or use all of the things they'd received; it was their father's way of showing them just how much he adored them.
Rosanna always accepted graciously and encourages others to do the same. This was particularly hard for Ron. Who for the longest time, thought Draco was just boasting about how wealthy he was.
'It means he cares Ron.' Rosanna explained to her friend. 'Please, let him.' And so he did.
"Stop James!" Polaris swats the boy's nagging hand away.
"Well if your big head weren't in the way." James remarks with wicked grin, giving another tug on her platinum locks.
"Quit James, I'm serious." Polaris pulls her ponytail over her shoulder.
"No. I'm Sirius, James Sirius." He was a shameless flirt.
"That joke isn't funny, you must realize that." Vega scowls.
"Don't be so hard on him, he's trying." Roxanne, Angelina and George's daughter, remarks. "Can't all be blessed with the funny gene."
Rosanna stomps toward her husband's office. Fuming down the hallway, past her coworkers, the latest issue of the Daily Prophet, clenched in her first.
Draco's door opens for her, on command, "sweetheart." Draco greets from behind his desk. A bit of green apple still between his teeth. He takes a good look at her, "what's happened?"
Rosanna slams the paper down onto the wood, her hand trembling as she does. "He can't go in September."
Draco sighs, skimming the headline. 'Desperate for male heir, Draco Malfoy uses time turner to have wife impregnated by He Who Shall Not Be Named.'
"It's too wordy, Skeeter has lost her touch." Draco shrugs, brushing the paper aside.
"Scorpius can't go to Hogwarts in the fall." Rosanna wraps both arms around herself.
"Of course he's going. Come off it." Draco can feel a throb take up in his left temple.
"Did you not read what she said!" Rosanna verges on hysterical. "What she's implying-"
"Is disgusting as it is far fetched." Draco says dismissively. "No one's going to believe this rubbish."
"You don't understand." Rosanna shakes her head, making to leave.
Draco stops her. Racing over to lean his body heavily against the door, blocking her exit. "Enlighten me." He taps her temple twice, before resting his hand against the side of her neck.
She fills his mind with hushed whispers and accusatory glances. The apologetic smiles from the people in her department. The snickers and sneers of the last man brought in for questioning.
"You'd never do it for him, you know?" The man scoffed, teeth rotting out of his foul mouth. "You reek of desperation and remorse. You're pretty poppet; but you're weak. The dark lord couldn't get up for you."
"That's just ridiculous," Draco mutters, as they finally break apart. "Any man could get up for you."
"This isn't a joke." She snaps. "What if the other kids, or their parents see this and believe-"
"No one who's anyone is going to believe this." Draco says again, softly. "He's been on about Hogwarts for years. We can't keep him home."
"What are we going to tell him?" They can shelter him at the manor. In their small group of friends, but not forever.
"We're going to tell him the same thing we've told him a thousand times. That people say things about our family that are vile, and moreover untrue." Draco understands this is hard, he knows she's frustrated. But they're on the same side and he doesn't want to fight.
"Rita's been saying Scorpius wasn't yours since he was born. But this...is the worst. How could she ever think that he-"
"Hush, love." Draco draws her into his chest, swaying her gently. "Scorpius is a wonderful, loving, smart, compassionate boy. He's our boy, and he's good."
The months leading up to their youngest child's departure were torturous. They spoke about the war, the parts they'd played. How sometimes they worked with opposing forces, but truly they always fought for each other. A vague rundown of their prophecy, briefly touching on how Leo was conceived without having a choice.
The blurred lines they'd crossed while Rosanna was under the imperius curse. They mention Hermione's torture, the final battle, how choosing Harry allowed him to win.
Presenting their son with his own copy of their autobiography. "Through Love And By Love" by Draco and Rosanna Malfoy, was on the required reading list at Hogwarts for seventh years.
Although he won't be reading it for sometime; each of their children had received a copy with their dedication on the first page.
'For Leo Selene, our every dream, the light at the end of the tunnel, and inspiration to write this story.'
'For Arlo Cressida, our reason to seek healing, the hope for a better future, and inspiration to share this story.'
'For Vega Juniper, our next chapter, the first half of our double trouble, the world is a better place for having you in it.'
'For Polaris Athena, our moving forward, second half spitfire, you burn as brightly as the star for which you are named.'
'For Scorpius Hyperion, our proof history does not always repeat itself. Things can get better; no matter how impossible it seems.'
Scorpius runs his fingers over the scripture, "I know why you're worried about me. But I'm your son," he says proudly. "If you can do all of that," he clears his throat, "I can survive being called names."
"People suck," Rosanna tells him, leaning forward to take his hands. "Don't let them get under your skin. Always remember who you are."
"You'll have Albus and Rose there with you." Draco tacks on, "So you've got friends already. Your sisters too, if you need them; James, Teddy-"
"I know Dad," Scorpius cuts off his father with a lopsided grin.
Rosanna pulls back, before she bursts into tears. "You want some tea?" She runs a hand over Draco's ponytail.
Draco turns slightly, kissing the inside of her wrist. "Tea would be nice."
"Did you get the talk too then?" Rose asks, after their parents and the train station have disappeared from view. Finally they're headed to Hogwarts.
"You mean the birds and the bees? Yes, I did. It was awful, thanks for reminding me." Scorpius frowns.
"No, not that talk." Rose rolls her eyes.
"You mean about the Wizarding war?" Albus asks his cousin.
"Exactly...and about you in particular Scorpius. How are you doing?" She puts her hand over his.
His heart beats faster than he cares to admit. "I'm fine Rose." He stammers, "it's weird though, my looks favor my Dad. I'm surprised no one's said she's not my real Mum."
"Everybody knows Skeeter's a tosspot." Albus shrugs. "And that's besides the point, if any of you are fathered by you know who, it's Polaris." The girl was a nightmare in her own right.
"Then Vega too, by default." Rose says disapprovingly. "They are identical twins; that means one embryo divided during-"
"Don't you think he's suffered enough without thinking about his Mum's embryos?" Albus scolds his cousin.
Scorpius smiles, "thanks Al. What'd you say we try our luck flagging down the trolley witch? I want to try the chocolates."
Arlo leaves her train car and Ravenclaw roommates, to wander down and check on her brother. Peeking through the glass window at her youngest sibling, having a laugh with Rose and Albus. The seats around them full of empty sweet wrappers.
She's about to knock and get his attention, when someone startles her.
"He is someone I should know?" A burly, dark haired, boy asks, having pulled open his door behind her.
"Excuse me?" Arlo turns quickly, it's not a voice she recognizes, heavily accented and deep.
"You are third von to look in." The boy motions to Scorpius. "He is special?"
"I guess that depends on who you ask," she shrugs. "He's my kid brother. I have three sisters, two are still students, we're supposed to look out for him."
"Is special then." The boy nods.
"You're not from here." Arlo says with a smile. It's a breath of fresh air, meeting someone who had no clue what sodding Rita Skeeter and the Daily Prophet, has been saying about their family for years.
"Vhat gives this avay?" He laughs, flashing her a blinding grin.
"Well for starters, you've got a smidge of an accent. Any relation to Bulgarian Bon Bon, Viktor Krum?" She crosses her arms over her chest.
"Bulgarian Bon Bon?" He's never heard the term.
"Never mind, it's just a thing-" she shakes her head.
He grins. "I am Marko Petrov."
"Arlo Malfoy." She extends her hand for a shake.
"Good to meet my Arlo." The tall man takes her hand gently, pressing his lips to the back.
"Just Arlo," she stammers, breathlessly. "Not my Arlo."
"I vill learn." He takes a step back, bowing his head.
"Honest mistake." Arlo waves away his concern, "so what brings you to Hogwarts?"
"Mother, she die. Three years away." Petrov explains.
"I'm sorry."
"Father have new vife. She come and teach Bulgaria, but her home here." Marko tells his new found friend.
Arlo nods.
"Come here, be vith new vife and Hogvart." His voice is pleasant. The longer he speaks, the more Arlo wants to listen.
"You speak English well, for only have a couple years practice." Arlo clears her throat.
"No good," he shakes his head, "but I vill learn."
"I've gotta get back to my friends. But you can come sit with us, if you want." Arlo offers, waving him back toward her seat.
"Vat about brother?" The transfer student asks.
"Scorpius is fine." Arlo assures him, he hasn't even noticed her standing in the door way; for what was, at this point, an obscene amount of time.
"Scorpius is name?" Marko is shocked.
"We're named after constellations," Arlo explains. "It's kind of stupid actually, but it's a thing."
"Like vhen Bon Bon is thing?" The boy cocks his head to the side.
"Exactly." Arlo's blue eyes stare deeply into his darker, nearly black irises.
"You are beautiful, this is thing." He tells her, without hesitation.
"I-" Arlo was always buried nose deep in a book. She had no idea how to take a compliment. Much less how to respond to the advances of, what was honestly, the best looking boy she'd ever met. "Yes- I mean, thank you."
Over the next few days, Draco and Rosanna receive daily letters from their children. Knowing from passed experience, that they will die down after the first month.
"We have another Slytherin." Rosanna shakes the parchment at her husband; where he lounges on the couch. Feet propped up on the coffee table, reading over a case file.
They had a Gryffindor, then a Ravenclaw, another Gryffindor and finally a Slytherin with Polaris, now again with Scorpius.
"Shall we head down to Diagon Ally and pick up him up a few robes?" The man is grinning at the news, taking the note to read for himself. "We can make a day of it."
"Sure, I'm gonna hop in the shower quick." She kisses the top of his head.
Draco's allowed his hair to grow past his shoulders. It took him a long time to come around to the idea, fearing he might look too much like his father.
Rosanna loves his hair, she always has. So when he came to her, three years ago, and asked how she felt about him letting it grow out; Ro was all for it. 'See if you like it, if not, cut it off, it's only hair.' She laughed, stopping him from agonizing over the prospect any longer.
Draco sets the letter aside, venturing up the stairs to their washroom. He can hear the stream of the water, faintly, over Rosanna's singing. She has quite a pleasant voice, thick and sweet like honey.
He opens the door, stripping off his clothes. They haven't had a shag in the shower for years.
Rosanna hears rustling outside of the, sliding, glass door. Sticking her head out. "Baby?"
"Who else?" He chuckles.
"Alright smart ass, you wanna piece of me?" Rosanna arches a brow at him.
"Actually," Draco half smirks, "yes I do."
"You're a pervert Malfoy, anyone ever told you that?" She waits for her husband to step inside.
"Don't act like you don't enjoy it, Malfoy." He slides the door closed behind him, trapping in the warm air.
Rosanna smiles with a shake of her head. "What if I don't?"
Draco tips her chin up, her eyes locked on his; burning with desire. Swiping his thumb over her bottom lip. "Shall I go then? Since you don't appreciate my advances."
"I didn't mean that." Her breath grows shallow, as he pins her against the wall, with his own body.
"Best choose your words more carefully, my darling. Someone might get their feelings hurt." The corners of his mouth turn upwards.
She nods, her mouth suddenly dry.
"Why don't you tell me what you meant?" Draco blinks at her expectantly. "Tell me what it is you do want."
"You." The confession slips past her lips, easy as breathing. "I want you."
"Care to be a bit more specific?" He nuzzles his nose against hers. "Seeing as I already belong to you in every way imaginable."
"I want-"
He moves his leg between hers, pressing his thigh against her pussy harshly. "What?" He pulls back slightly, when her lips search for his.
She whines, squirming against him. "Draco."
"You're not very articulate today sweetheart." The man taunts. "How about I go first?"
"Yeah that'd be good." Ro says, lips parted slightly.
"I want to fuck you, here, against this wall. I want your fingers twisted in my hair, tugging and releasing, because they can't decide which pleases them more. I want you watching me with those brown eyes that just won't stay open, no matter how hard you try and force them." His voice is intoxicating.
"I want your lips on my neck, leaving those damn love marks, that are a pain in my arse to cover. I want your mouth against mine, when you can't be bothered with kisses, when you just whimper until you cum. I want you screaming for me while you fall apart. I want you to remember what it feels like to have me so deep inside you, your pretty little cunt squeezes me like you'll never let go. I want you full with my child, again." Draco purrs against Rosanna's ear.
Oh, she hadn't been expecting that. Considering his proposition as she slides the elastic down his long hair, freeing it. Fanning it about his beautiful face as best she can in it's damp state. "Yes, please."
"Please, what?" He murmurs, over the warm spray of the water.
"Please, fuck me." The cheeky little thing guides his mouth to hers.
"And what of my other request?" Draco inquires, if she says no, he'll cast the sodding protection charm; he needs to be inside her.
"I wanna have your baby, ok?" Rosanna all but screams. "Stop torturing me!"
"You've never been much for delayed gratification. I've loved that about you since I was a boy." Draco confesses, sealing his lips over hers and lifting her up. Her soft legs wrap around his waist.
Rosanna moans into his mouth, as his length fills her. "Shit baby," her head thunks against the shower wall.
Draco sucking bruises into her exposed neck. Moving to her nipples with the same suction, one hand pressed against her back, keeping it arched toward him.
"You are so lovely," Draco whispers against her skin. "All mine."
Rosanna tugs his hair, pulling him back up to her. "Yours," she sighs, contently, against his lips.
His hands grope her bum greedily. Thrusts growing harder, brushing against the spot that drives her mad.
"I love you, I love you, I love you." Rosanna chants like a prayer when he finally pushes her over the edge. Nails scratching over his pale skin.
"I love you." Draco replies, because there's not a proper word for how he feels about her. So he settles for love, spilling himself into her heat.
'Bandaid baby to mend Rosanna and Draco's crumbling marriage."
'Leo Malfoy to wed squib, further besmirching bloodline.'
'Arlo Malfoy's suspected teen pregnancy with Bulgarian transfer student.'
'Vega Malfoy caught snogging roommate Arlene Fischer.'
'Polaris Malfoy attempts woo James Sirius Potter, nearly one year her junior.'
'Scorpius Malfoy, son of the Dark Lord and Rosanna Malfoy, sorted Slytherin.'
The kids were home from Hogwarts for Christmas, save for Leo who would join them Christmas Day, after spending the morning with her now fiancé's family.
Rosanna pops in to say goodnight to each of them. Her second oldest daughter being the last stop. "Arlo, can we talk?"
Arlo cuts her mother off. "I'm not pregnant."
"I know." Rosanna assures her. "If you're having sex, I'm sure you're being safe."
Arlo sits up, motioning for Mum to join her on the bed. "We're not... doing that. I'm not ready. No offense, but I don't envy you. Having a kid right now...I don't think I could do it."
"You could, if you had to." Rosanna tells her softly, "you think you can't. But somehow you just do."
Arlo offers her the brush, off the bed side table. Turning so that her mother can braid her hair, like when she was a little girl. "Did it ever piss you off? When you couldn't finish school? When you couldn't do what you wanted?"
"Before I had Leo; I worried I wouldn't be able to bond with a child that I wasn't ready to have. When she was born; I understood. All those plans I had, goals, dreams, the things I wanted...they didn't matter to me anymore. Because I was holding the entire world in my arms; in one single second, she became my plans, my dreams, my goals, she was everything that I wanted. I felt the exact same way each and every time I held you. I wanted you, more than I ever wanted anything else." Rosanna begins weaving the soft tresses of waves into a fishtail braid.
"You're a good Mum." Arlo tells her, just in case she doesn't know.
Rosanna gives her shoulder a squeeze, "I'm trying."
Arlo relaxes into her mother's calming touch. "I'm meant to read the book this summer. It's on the required list."
"I can talk to Head Master McGonagall, if you need more time. If you're not ready, I'm sure she can make an exception." They hadn't meant for it to be a burden on any of their children.
Arlo gives a guilty smile, "I had Marko read it early. Tell me if it was...he said it was a good read. He didn't realize that you wrote it actually, I had to explain it to him. About what an autobiography is." She laughs fondly, still quite taken with her Bulgarian boyfriend. "Anyway, he has some questions. I think I probably will too. Would it be ok, after I'm finished, for us to have a sit down with you and Dad...and talk?"
"Yeah, of course, we can do that." Rosanna ties the elastic at the end of Arlo's strawberry blonde plat. She leans forward, kissing the back of her daughter's head.
"One more thing." Arlo catches Rosanna's wrist. "You said, in your dedication, that I was the reason to share your story. I think that's beautiful, but why me?"
"A lot of people expected different things after the war. They expected me to take Leo and leave your Dad. They expected me to press charges and send him to Azkaban. They expected me to lean heavily into my friends, because they were 'good' and the Malfoy's were 'evil.'" It's hard to think back on that dark time, after the war. When the world was quite literally in shambles.
"By the time we had you, we knew it wasn't something people would get over. There was a moment of panic. How could we stop pretending like nothing happened; but at the same time let people know I was ok. I wasn't with your Dad because of a curse, or a prophecy, or because he was the father of my child. I was with him because I love him. That was the story I wanted to tell; and I wanted to tell it for you."
"I'm not sure it worked. It never really stopped the media circus or the side ways glances. But when I thought about you reading what we wrote; I was glad we did it anyway. You deserve to have all the facts in one place." Rosanna twists her hands in her lap, restlessly.
"Didn't you ever want the glory?" The girl wonders, turning to search Rosanna's eyes.
"For a long time, I thought I was going to die. That your Dad was going to die. I thought I'd never see my parents again. Or my friends." Rosanna tells her daughter. "Being here, with you guys, married to your Dad; getting to see my friends happy, with kids of their own, all of you growing up together. That's the glory for me."
"And you get your card in a chocolate frog." Arlo reminds her.
"That's pretty cool too." Rosanna laughs.