Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Graces Malfoy and Thomas Higgs who are my own. I do not claim ownership of the characters or the settings within. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story.
Author's notes: Huge thank you to my beta Denarii for editing and my best friend Aleah for reading it over.
Special thanks to Pleasereadmything, GTH, infinateconstellations, Bageltiger, Cree,
spannieren, char170217, q, Dragomir7, Blue Luver5000, guest, Manoirmalfoys, DontWaitUpForMe, MaryfromCali, guest, guest, Lotono and designtechdk for their reviews! And noone297 for the PMs!
CREE! I will post your answer at the very bottom of this chapter.
There is a new timeline at the bottom! And it was made by one of my readers, Dragomir7, it's a lot more detailed than the one I have been putting up and has a brief summary with each thing! I would encourage everyone to look at it and thank you again Dragomir7 for making it. I can't even imagine how long it took him. His wasn't complete so I added my pathetic one where his left off.
Also, sorry this is so late guys. Life happened. Life happened and killed my car and I had to buy a new one and a million other things like that.
Chapter 57
Sunday mornings always created this haze around the castle. It seemed like the whole school would laze about in the mornings before making the most out of the last day of the weekend. Neville turned over in his bed and held his spare pillow tight to his chest, too warm and comfortable to fully wake. He kept his eyes closed and urged his mind to go back to the dream he was having, back to the world where he was holding Graces in his arms and breathing her in as they softly kissed their good mornings.
He was just beginning to fall back to sleep as his dream escalated to Graces taking his pants off when the curtains to his bed were abruptly yanked open.
"BLOODY HELL!" Neville hurried to pull the sheets up to his chin. "THE CURTAINS ARE CLOSED! CLOSED! LAST I CHECKED THAT MEANT SOMETHING IN A BOYS DORM!"
"WE DON'T WANT TO FIGHT ANYMORE!" Ron yelled, not coming across as contrite as he and the other boys appeared. "WE'RE SORRY AND WE DON'T WANT TO FIGHT. AND YOUR CURTAINS ARE ALWAYS CLOSED!"
"This couldn't wait til I was out of bed?" Neville asked, moving the pillow so it was on top of his lap and blushing scarlet.
Ron pinked and murmured about how they heard him moving in bed and then he started snoring again.
"We just didn't want you staying in bed til we all left like yesterday," Seamus offered from behind Ron. "We just all wanted to get this over with."
Neville tried to take a few calming breaths, he felt like he was breathing like a frustrated dragon rather than a human being.
"Just give me a second to wake up and we can talk," he finally muttered, thankful that Ron closed the curtains. After taking a few minutes to gather himself and make sure that he was calmed down, in more ways than just one, he got up from the bed.
Harry, Ron, Seamus and Dean were all waiting for him. Harry sat on his bed while Ron paced between Seamus and Dean who were sitting on his.
"I didn't mean to hurt your eye," Ron grumbled, his cheeks pinking slightly. "I really didn't mean to. I meant to just hit the back of your head… you know? Not really hurt you. Just..." Ron's voice trailed off as he shrugged his shoulders not quite sure how to explain.
Neville crossed his arms in front of himself uncomfortably and wondered when things became so hard. When you stopped going along with things. When you decided what you wanted for yourself and refused to be apologetic.
"I appreciate that," he whispered still holding his arms tightly to himself. Ron rubbed the back of his neck and Neville felt as though he should say more, but he couldn't find it in him. He was afraid if he opened his mouth he would apologize, and he was done with that. He didn't feel he had a reason to be sorry anymore. Even the lying he didn't feel bad about. Graces was safe and she was happy.
"We're all sorry for the way we reacted," Harry said quietly, disturbing the pregnant silence that was surrounding them. "We had no right to think you would tell us about such things. We all certainly don't confide in you our secrets, so we shouldn't expect you to tell us yours."
"Not to mention we shouldn't have ignored you after the morning you had," Dean added, looking down at his shoes.
"Yeah, what Malfoy said to you was rough. We should have talked to you," Seamus agreed.
"I was fine."
"Even still," Ron murmured. "We're sorry. And I'm in particular more sorry. I should never have mentioned your mum and dad."
"It's fine," Neville nodded hollowly.
"It's not fine," Ron whispered angrily. "It was wrong and I'm sorry."
Neville sat on those words for a moment before rasping out a thanks. He still didn't feel like everything was better, but he wanted everything behind them. There was a chill in the room that came with the tense silence and it took every ounce of energy for Neville not to move from where he stood.
"There are things I don't tell you lot," Harry broke in, his hands playing with the spine of his potion book. "A lot of things… and Neville, some of those things you probably deserved to know."
"Like what?"
Harry hesitated and looked at the other boys in the room for a moment before whispering that Sirius Black was his godfather.
"Black?" Neville repeated wide eyed, remembering everything that happened third year.
"Yeah," Harry murmured quietly. "I never told you that and you risked your life to help me save him. I never told you who he was to me."
"No, you didn't." Neville couldn't help but frown at his friend.
"Sirius Black was your godfather?" Seamus asked, his jaw practically on the ground. "You two were close?"
"I take it this means he was also innocent," Dean assumed, staring at Harry who nodded despondently.
"I'm sorry, Harry," Neville murmured softly, remembering the night at the Ministry and Harry's reaction when Sirius was killed. "I didn't know."
"Well, that's my point," Harry sniffed. "I never told you. I think we all have our secrets and we all have people we share those secrets with."
Harry looked over to Ron briefly before pursing his lips tightly together.
"Who do you talk to, Nev?" Seamus asked, a hint of concern coming to his voice.
Neville looked back at his friend and the others in the room all seeming to align in thinking he had no one.
Oh, no. I'm so not doing this, Neville thought realizing that the boys around him were probably going to start awkwardly talking about how he could talk to them and that they would want to be there for him. It wasn't that Neville didn't think that was all true, he just thought of it as forced. It didn't come naturally. He wasn't comfortable talking to them and they had never clicked in a way with him to do it either.
"I like my privacy," Neville stated, already backing away from that scenario.
"Surely, you talk to someone," Dean frowned. "I mean, no one's an island."
Neville wanted to tell Dean that he was and a self sustaining one at that, but he also wanted this subject dropped.
"I talk to Luna," he offered, thinking about his conversation with the Ravenclaw in the courtyard the other day. "She actually knew about my feelings for Graces before I asked her out. She's known for a while. When you all walked in on us that night, we weren't doing anything. We were talking about Graces," Neville finished quietly.
"How did she react when you told her?" Seamus asked, leaning forward.
"Well," Neville shrugged, not really wanting to say more.
"I'm sorry we didn't take it well," Dean murmured. "We just don't understand it."
"Maybe you could tell us what it is about her," Harry stated hopefully, clearly trying to allow Neville to discuss his feelings. Everyone around the room nodded in agreement, even Ron though he was definitely biting his tongue.
"No, I, uh, it would be a bit painful for me," Neville lied awkwardly. "You know… after her turning me down and all."
"Do you want to talk about that?" Ron offered, taking a seat by Harry and settling in as though he suspected Neville would.
"Um, no," Neville decided, now really wanting to get out of the room.
"You sure?" Ron asked. "I mean, I don't really have the emotional range of a teaspoon," Ron grinned, looking at Harry as though this was some personal joke. "I could understand where you're coming from. Remember when I asked out Fleur and she laughed at me?"
"Thanks," Neville blushed, wishing that everyone would stop looking at him. "But really I just want to pretend that it didn't happen. Just completely forget about it. No talking about it, no acting different, I just want to be done."
"Are your feelings for her done?" Dean asked carefully.
Neville debated answering that question at all.
"No, they're not," he said evenly, gulping down any other retort. "I don't want to explain myself or my feelings," he began slowly. "I love her. That's all you guys need to know. I love her and-and I don't want to hear or see any of you being unkind to her over what happened yesterday."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously," Neville repeated, mildly irritated. "I don't want anyone being unkind to her. Like I said I am in love with her, so please just understand that it would only hurt me more if people were cruel to her. I just want to pretend this didn't happen. That's all I want and part of that is acting like nothing happened to her as well as me."
"This is bloody ridiculous," Ron muttered, looking up at ceiling before nodding his head in agreement.
Neville felt a great sense of relief in knowing that no one was going to harass Graces over what she said to him. He knew she already felt terrible about the whole ordeal, and the last thing he wanted was for others to make her feel worse.
"Everyone up to get some breakfast?" Ron asked, clearly biting at the bit to leave the room before the Great Hall stopped serving food. Harry gave Ron a bewildered look, clearly thinking his statement insensitive. "He said he wants to forget about it all, so I'm obliging."
"I'm starved," Neville proclaimed, all for Ron's tactic of forgetting this mess. "Let me just change and I'll meet you there."
"We'll wait," Dean offered, giving Ron a look that meant him as well.
Neville quickly showered, thankful for the few minutes of peace he had away from his friends. He was glad that they were no longer mad and that things had been worked out between them, but as he stared into the mirror he wondered if his friendship would ever be anything more intimate. He didn't see how it could be. They really didn't know him, sometimes he didn't even know himself these days. He trailed his hand against his face noticing the scruff that had grown from the day before.
He didn't even think twice about leaving it. He was already imaging Graces running her hands through it as she allowed him to kiss her breathless. He probably would have stood in front of the mirror longer thinking of what his night was going to be like, if Ron hadn't started banging on the bathroom dorm talking about how he was seconds away from eating his own hand.
Neville hurriedly finished getting dressed, but paused as he stared at himself in the mirror one last time. He could be handsome. Not just in a 'oh, he's not bad looking way'. For a moment he thought he could seriously be handsome.
"Hey, Harry," Neville began awkwardly, stepping out of the loo and adjusting his sleeves. "Do you think I could work out with the Quidditch team?"
"Uh—"
"Not be on the team," Neville said quickly. "Just work out with you lot. Not on the broom, but when you all do laps around the pitch and such."
Neville thought about taking it back, Harry seemed to be slightly uncomfortable with the request, but before he could take it back Harry nodded and said that he could come to their morning practice tomorrow.
"Thanks."
"Yep, just be sure to wake up," Harry reminded, heading towards the door for breakfast.
"You're mad. If I could skip early morning workouts before class, I would," Ron warned, following Harry.
Neville smirked and was about to head out after them when Seamus stopped him.
"None of what she said was true. You know that right?" Neville didn't say a word, which Seamus seemed to take as him not believing what he was saying. "When she said look at me, look at you. I don't want you taking that to heart. I know you want to act like this didn't happen, but you starting to work out because of what some—"
"I'm doing it for me," Neville broke in. "I know Malfoy won't care, that how I look won't change her mind about me. I'm doing it for me."
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"You're here early," Neville commented as he walked into the barn.
"So are you," Graces pointed out, tilting her head up and Neville leaned in to kiss her hello. It was odd allowing him to do that. She would be lying if she said it was natural, because it was far from natural to allow him to kiss her so casually. She had to force herself to do that. Neville smiled softly at it, though, and that reminded her why she was allowing such an intimate thing.
Neville should be happy. He was so kind and generous, she wanted him to be happy and for whatever reason she seemed to make him happy. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and smiled back at him, unsure how she felt about herself holding so much of his happiness.
"Maybe we shouldn't stay out so late tonight," Neville chuckled, his thumb coming up and gently brushing below her eye. "You look exhausted. I think you need to get some sleep, since apparently you didn't sleep in this morning like a sane person."
"I had a bad dream," Graces admitted quietly, unsure why it was that she was so decided on being this honest with Neville. "A night terror," Graces clarified. "Like before."
She said the last part so quietly she wondered if Neville heard her, but she had her answer when Neville knelt down in front of where she was sitting and took her hands in his.
"If you want to feel bad for someone, feel bad for Millie," Graces joked sadly. "I knocked the wind out of her and she twisted her wrist fighting me. Pansy went to find Draco, but he wasn't anywhere to be found," she explained quietly.
"I thought these stopped," Neville frowned, clearly upset at the thought that this had been going on.
"They did," Graces nodded, heat coming to her cheeks. "Do you remember why they stopped?"
Graces watched as realization dawned in Neville's head and his neck turned apple red with the knowledge.
"Oh, uh, right."
Graces smiled as he became exceptionally flustered and continued to fumble over his words. As dim as her predicament was it was very funny to see Neville so flustered. "You embarrass so easily," Graces teased, smiling more to herself than Neville. "It's quite endearing."
Neville, if possible, turned even more red, before awkwardly reminding Graces that they could continue their more intimate relations if she needed.
"You deserve better than that," Graces whispered, placing her chin in the palm of her hand and looking at Neville's soft brown eyes. "I don't want to use you like that."
"I can guarantee I wouldn't mind," Neville grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear and causing the blonde to smile at the touch.
"No," she maintained. "I'm done using you to get through my day or so I can sleep better at night."
Neville opened his mouth to protest, like he was going to argue that she had never done such a thing, but Graces raised her hand to silence him. "It was what it was," she declared. " I didn't know you, you didn't know me and I saw no problem in having something casual with you. Something detached," she further explained, a tiny bit of guilt coming to her voice. "But I know you now and I can't go back to that to just using you."
"I never felt used," Neville promised.
"But you were," Graces countered. "I used you. I considered it more of a quid pro quo arrangement, but I used you none the less."
"Graces, I don't thi—"
Graces leaned in and kissed Neville before he could try and make her feel better for the past. She quietly slipped off her chair until she was kneeling on the floor in his arms. It was just like Neville not to see the bad in a person. To ignore or justify someone's actions. He humanized people. She loved that about him and at the same time wished his eyes weren't so rose-colored.
"I don't want to sleep with you," she murmured, pulling away from his lips and nuzzling his nose with her's.
"This is a very bad way of showing that," Neville breathed, still keeping his eyes closed from the kiss.
"Let me rephrase," Graces grinned, moving so that she was pressing herself so firmly against him that he had to lean back. "I very much want to sleep with you." Graces felt a surge of confidence as Neville's breath hitched as she ran her hands against his chest. "I think about it often. I'm thinking about it right now," Graces whispered, taking Neville's lips in hers and enjoying the feel of Neville's arms wrapping around her. She let her mind toy with the idea of giving in. Of allowing herself to have him like she wanted to, allowing him to have her like he wanted to, but she stopped them from going further.
"But I'm not going to," Graces reaffirmed, moving off him. "And it's not only because I'm self conscious." Graces tried to remember why she was going to tell Neville this, she suddenly felt very frightened.
"I want to know you," she announced, surprised at how poised she sounded when she inwardly felt like she was having a panic attack. "I-I really want to know you. I want to have more nights like last night: playing games, talking, listening to music. I want to get to know you."
"I'll take potions," Graces continued, unable to stop herself from moving Neville's hair from his face. "I went and got a potion today from Pomfrey. I'll sleep, so you don't need to worry about that, but this is what I want. We should be more," Graces searched for a word to describe what she wanted and eventually settled with "healthy."
"Healthy," Neville repeated.
"Yes, healthy. What we were doing before it… it wasn't good for you, Longbottom. I got—am getting—a lot more out of this than you are."
"I'm getting all I need out of this," Neville reassured, moving up so he was straighter. "Graces, relationships aren't about what is fair. There isn't some way of measuring what two people get from one another. I'm happy and that is more than fair in my opinion."
"I know you're happy," Graces nodded. "But I still want this. I don't want this to be just about sex or getting through the day anymore. I want this to be more of a friendship, a real one."
Neville seemed to be mulling over what she was saying in his head. His brows bowed slightly towards one another and his mouth pursed gently, leading Graces to wonder if what she wanted was going to be more of a problem then what she anticipated. She had told herself that Neville would understand this, but now as she watched him thinking about it she wondered if she offended him. Neville probably thought she knew him very well, he probably thought he knew her very well, so maybe her saying this would lead him to believe that she didn't appreciate their previous time together. She was about to explain that she didn't mean he was a stranger, that she just wanted to have more time to know him sincerely, but Neville's small frown suddenly smoothed and it wasn't long before he had a small smile on his own lips.
"I would like that," he said shyly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," Neville nodded. "I think I will like this a lot."
"We're not dating," Graces quickly stipulated.
"Oh, of course not," Neville proclaimed, shaking his head elaborately and wrinkling his nose in false disgust.
"I just want to be closer, actually talk like real people do. get to know you in a regular manner."
"I completely agree," Neville nodded, though Graces had a feeling he thought very differently from her. "We should get to know one another and be normal," he smirked.
"Yes," Graces murmured, holding her breath as Neville leaned in and kissed her sweetly.
"So, Miss Malfoy, are you ready for me to beat your pompous ass in cards?"
Graces gave a relieved smile before declaring that it was on.
Thanks for reading! Hope you all enjoyed. Below is the timeline I mentioned earlier! And Cree I answered your questions below that.
Time line created by Dragomir7
Week 0
(Sun, Sep 1) [Canon] Draco breaks Harry's nose on the Hogwarts Express.
Week 1
(Mon, Sep 2) [Ch.1] Neville is forced to partner Graces in Herbology. They quarrell. Neville apologizes. Neville's obsession begins.
Week 3
(Fri, Sep 20) [Ch.2] Graces feel troubled after seeing her Hellbores plant wither.
(Sat, Sep 21) [2,3] Graces asks Neville for help with plant, to which he agrees. Midnight. Neville finds Graces drinking alone in greenhouse. He joins. She sobs about her fear for Draco and pleads for a night's release. They kiss and engage in sex for first time.
(Sun, Sep 22) [4] Zabini walks Graces back to dorm. Neville and Graces mull confusedly over desires for each other.
Week 4
(Mon, Sep 23) [5] Neville asks Graces out. Graces remind him harshly of family backgrounds. Hannah asks Neville out. He absent-mindedly agrees.
(Fri, Sep 27) [5,6] Graces admits her obsession to Draco, who doesn't believe her. She weeps silently. Herbology class accident - Graces fractures her skull. Neville saves her from further harm, takes her to Pomfrey and watches over her at night.
(Sat, Sep 28) [7] Neville and Hannah's doomed date at Three Broomsticks. They run into the Slytherins. Graces publicly thanks Neville and initiates Life Debt for him, to which he requested Potions tutoring, much to Gryffindors' frustration. Later, Graces goes crying to Draco for comfort over Neville and Draco's bleak future.
(Sun, Sep 29) [8] Neville oversees Graces helping Thomas Higgs. Graces unintentionally attacks Neville with her dagger and stays the night to heal him on the grounds.
Week 5 (effectively 1st week of October)
(Mon, Sep 30) [9] Magic transfer. Both go to Pomfrey, who berates them for sexual engagement. Graces' nightmare of Voldemort punishing and killing her family. She starts avoiding Neville.
(Fri, Oct 4) [10] Graces forced by Life Debt vow to see Neville. Diagnostic test on learning methods. Neville confesses care for Graces, receives a cold reply, and initiates violent kiss. Graces runs away. Neville finds Snape and gets detention.
(Sat, Oct 5) [11,12] Hermione advises Neville on relationships. Short letter exchange through Loki. Neville presses Graces about family problems, to which she breaks down. Neville offers consolation and help. They kiss and engage in sex. Neville admits loneliness. Graces talks about family, education and first-name intimacy.
(Sun, Oct 6) [13,14] Draco weeps over Graces. The Slytherins enjoy their Quidditch practice. Neville watches silently with Luna and is impressed by Draco's loving side. Luna discloses Graces' interest in Shakespeare. They form siblings' bond. Graces deny knowledge of Shakespeare before Neville, both publicly at lunch and privately. Neville leaves in fury. After dinner, Nott discloses to Malfoys of his elevated position and suggests marrying Graces to ensure her safety. Thomas Higgs consoles a downcast Graces.
Chapters 15 to 27 all happen in Week 6 (or 2nd week of October):
(Mon, Oct 7) [15-17] Neville bites his thumb at Graces, causing her violent reaction. Graces admits knowledge of Shakespeare and pleads for McGonagall not to disclose that. Higgs recalls how Graces helped him back then and offers help. Neville apologizes during detention and admits that he read Shakespeare for Graces' sake to be able to communicate better with her.
(Tue, Oct 8) [18] Neville delivers the Pendant of Trust to Graces. She owls him a disguised copy of Hamlet for homework.
(Wed, Oct 9) [19] Neville confides his total trust in Graces. They discuss Hamlet. She guides him to successfully brew a boil potion.
(Thu, Oct 10) [20] Hermione urges Neville to talk to Hannah. Neville and Hannah's breakup. Plant pruning in Herbology. By Graces' idea, Neville offers her his shirt to veil her scent, allowing her to finish the practical. Sprout offers Neville apprenticeship.
[21] Nott barges in on Neville's Potions tuition. Nott makes gestures to unease Graces. Neville craftily gives Nott a boil potion splash. Graces and Neville overhear his friends making fun of him. Brief confrontation.
[22] Neville doesn't forgive his bunkmates. He and Graces meet in the barn to kiss and make love. Graces discusses hay's dangers and relates her own experience of seeing her father kill for her. Neville admits his lack of love for his parents.
[23] Midnight. Draco and Graces patrol the corridors. Draco leaves early. Graces finds Neville skulking and heals his buck teeth.
(Fri, Oct 11) [24] Gryffindors plan party for Neville's apprenticeship. Graces discuss Neville's inheritance to enlighten Hermione and Hannah. Hannah plans to talk with Neville the following day. Graces sulks for lost attention. Neville remains upset through party. He meets Luna in his bunk and admits to her his love for Graces. She comforts and hugs him. Gryffindors start rumor on Neville and Luna.
(Sat, Oct 12) [25] Neville attempts to comfort Hannah at the Three Broomsticks. Hannah leaves, only to bump into Graces and Pansy, injuring her own hand and dirtying Graces' expensive blouse. Graces heals the injury and disputes rumors of Neville and Luna. Terence and Thomas Higgs.
[Canon] Draco imperiuses Rosmerta to give Katie Bell a cursed necklace, to which she accidentally touches and is harmed.
[26] Graces and Draco console each other over Draco's failure. Nott ends the alliance with the Malfoys and punishes Draco as ordered.
(Sun, Oct 13) [27] Neville and Graces argue over Draco's involvement in Katie's incident. Graces defends wearing her attire to attract (Neville) rather than distract. Neville voices his trust in her rather than Harry's conspiracies. She reveals. Neville discloses Luna's knowledge of their relationship. Graces hysterically demands an unbreakable vow from Luna.
2nd week of October
Chapter 27(Monday), 28(Tuesday), 29(Friday and Saturday), 30 and 31(Still Saturday), 32(Sunday), 33(Sunday and Monday)
31 is the Slytherin party in the woods after the game.
3rd week of October
Chapter 33, 34 (Tuesday and Wednesday), 35 (Thursday), 36 Friday Saturday and Ending Monday)
4th Week of October
Chapter 36 and 37 (Monday), (38 Tuesday)
5th week of October/ 1st week of November
Chapter 39 (Tuesday night and wednesday day and night this was the chapter Neville put the scales on Graces.)
Chapter 40- Thursday Halloween
Chapter 41- Friday- Bathroom scene with Hermione and Higgs ministry letter.
Chapter 42- still Friday night and then moves to Saturday morning.
1st week of November
Chapter 43 and 44 are Monday through Friday, with the funeral being on Friday morning and Graces meeting the Dark Lord with Thomas Friday night.
45 is still apart of Friday night.
Chapter 46 and 47 are Saturday.
Chapter 48 and 49 is Sunday morphing into Monday
2nd week of November
End of Chapter 49 is Monday.
Chapter 50 Tuesday night
Chapter 51 Wednesday Morning
Chapter 52 Wednesday night
Chapter 53 Thursday
Chapter 54 Friday
Chapter 55 Friday night Saturday morning
Chapter 56 Saturday
Cree: Bare with me, it's a really long response to answer you. Okay, so Voldemort killed the Higgs clan to set an example. Neutrality is no longer going to be tolerated, a lot of pure blood families are remaining neutral and he is now making it clear that he will kill the whole family if one dares to defy him. He did it to the Higgs because the Higgs were using their numbers to defy him. They were basically like you can't touch us, there are too many of us and we are all banded together. You attack us you attack a whole army. So because of this Voldemort felt the need to completely tear them down, so no other families could think to defy him as well as show that he had no problems taking out such a huge population.
Thomas was only allowed to live because Snape asked for him to live. Him and one child so that the Higgs clan would not be gone. It was mentioned in the chapter with Snape and the doctor, but I didn't go into detail. Basically Snape argued that killing off a whole pureblood clan entirely wouldn't bode well with other purebloods. They do consider blood status sacred and their numbers are already dwindling. He also pointed out that Thomas Higgs was very very close to the Malfoy twins, Graces in particular, and that he would do whatever Graces said. So he agreed, allowed for Thomas to live and one child to be an heir. The squib was allowed to go on more so because she was considered insignificant/ they did need someone to ensure Thomas could keep the baby. Then as we know Voldemort doesn't really keep his promises, so he was going to kill Thomas. Pretend like he tried to give the Higgs clan a chance, but that Thomas showed he could never be loyal. And that's when we have Graces before Voldemort guaranteeing that he would be.