These two days had been good, really good. It had been fun and it was so satisfying to see the boys get the things they really wanted. Theo made pizza with them last night and tomorrow they were all going to fly together.
That had been funny too. Blaise was on a broom but beside her as they watched the other two grown men basically goad the other into doing it, kicking off at least. Then they were in the air and bickering about how stupid the other was and that they had watched their sons fly like pros. It was amusing and she thought they were using it as some kind of decompression. It hadn't taken more than five minutes of them daring each other to do small things before they were racing to the tree line and gone in a blur.
For the first time, she really wanted to gloat in the satisfaction she felt at seeing them like this. It wasn't something she had ever imagined. Even before the boys, Blaise had talked about them, more than she would ever have imagined. As if once he knew she didn't hate them, didn't think they were less than human, he had taken the safe place to talk about them. Not details of their lives or secrets but who they actually were. What they were like when no one could see them. Hermione had seen them though. It made her fiercely glad that she had taken the boys. That this was what they had come out to, rather than ornate buildings and stilted manners.
So they were all flying together tomorrow and it was patronus night tonight. She was sitting in her lounge room. Theirs, they all piled in here often, Blaise had acquired a floor couch for the boys and they had rearranged the furniture. It was full but comfortable and they all seemed to like it. There were books and parchment on the shelves, belonging to the boys and the group of four adults. It was all mixed around and she could see a folder from Blaise's office in here too. It felt more lived in and that was comfortable.
Better to wait for what Harry's message said then send one herself first. Part of her was apprehensive and part of her was resigned. Eventually she would see her friend and she wasn't that concerned about their friendship. She heard his voice at least once a week and it wasn't the empty tone it could have been or the pent up ready to explode one either. Most of the time it was his usual musing conversational tone.
He was having a baby and that was exciting. It was a boy, he had told her two months ago. Ginny had caved and finally let them find out so in about two months a little Mr Potter was coming into the world and she was so glad to be here. Harry wanted to see her and she missed him. The apprehension and resignation were for the way she was sure it would happen. The expectation she would just show up with the boys to the Ministry or something and come home. What that meant exactly she didn't know but there had been some words and tones that hinted toward that, it wasn't very encouraging really.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a huge silvery stag and Harry's voice.
"Are you back in England Mione? Where do you want to meet?" The stag faded and she blinked at the brevity of the message and then groaned. Hearing the shuffle of feet, she glared at the open doorway that held no males as of yet.
"I didn't think you would spy on me." As soon as she said it, she knew it had been a stupid thing to say. Blaise stayed around her at every opportunity when Harry sent her a patronus and she hadn't instructed any of them not to listen.
"That was naive Bella." Blaise replied as his lean form appeared in the doorway.
"Sometimes you are so nice and sometimes I wonder why I don't just slice off your forked tongue." She nearly hissed at him and at his sly grin she kept speaking.
"As i've never had the benefit it's hardly relevant." Theo's low laugh made her completely sure she had been right about his next comment.
"You like to be relevant Blaise." The questioning lilt of
Draco's voice and Blaise's scowl were amusing and she ignored the looks cast around her. The ones that made her sure they hadn't known if she was sleeping with Blaise or not. Which meant they hadn't asked and she wondered why they wouldn't just do so. It was a frequent question these past few days, even years with Blaise sometimes though he just spoke to her usually now. It was hard to remember that their beginning had been a bit stilted too.
"So what are you going to say?" Blaise asked her as they all sat down and looked as if they meant to stay. She didn't meet anyone's eyes but Blaise's while she considered that.
"I am thinking of meeting him in the Forest of Dean." Blaise had his mouth open to no doubt argue and she just kept going.
"I'll ward it first and I'll even bring an elf if you want." She added the elf as her preventative of any bargaining. It was all she could do not to kick him when he didn't nod reluctantly as she expected.
"Please share what your problem is with that reasonable plan." Her voice was even and she tried to keep any defensiveness out of her tone. It wasn't pleasant to have to answer to anyone at all.
"That you will be alone." Draco answered when Blaise didn't and she watched her friend wince and knew it was at her facial expression blanking.
"Would you try and take me if I was waiting for you?" She didn't look at Malfoy, only held Blaise's eyes. This was stupid and she had offered to take an elf. It was really more than she would like but the boys were important, their piece of mind and the way this was going.
"That depends on why I was doing so. Potter isn't me." Draco answered as if it were a serious question.
"You want to come?" She asked Blaise finally. Maybe this once she could have someone there. It might make Harry see that she was only taking things as seriously as she felt the situation was. He made it sound as if she were being a bit stubborn.
"Yes. I'll bring him to mine." Blaise answered her in a breath and she blinked at that. The ease of his shoulders and then looked at the other two quickly, far more relaxed. What difference did that make really?
"Sure. Tomorrow?" Was what she asked after a minute of thinking it and them over.
"Eight?" He asked her in reply and she nodded. Then had a thought and bit her lip.
"Eight thirty. They were up till eight last night. I want them to be sleeping." Blaise have her a look and she huffed. "If they are awake then I have to tell them where I am going and they won't like it." Was her short but aggrieved answer and she stuck her tongue out at him when the smirk started to curl his pretty lips.
"Let's just all read in your room." She suggested and waited out everyone's silence and tension. Meeting pairs of eyes and ignoring Blaise watching them all with interest. Tray had come into the lounge with his book and his puppy dog eyes. So effective that she gave up on the Italian potions journal she was reading and agreed. Then looked at the clock and it was seven. Perfect.
So now began the process of getting them all to agree to read together in the boy's room. Instead of the lounge and then her tucking them in.
Tray caught her eye a second time and she waited. Scorp was watching him and so she knew something was going on. After a whole minute of being measured and not getting an answer she sat on the floor and waited for him to come to her. He did, slowly but without hesitation.
"What is it?" Her easy tone didn't get a smile out of either of them. She watched those dark blue eyes look at her, then flick to Scorp and then the two behind him before back to her.
"Your bed." The young wizard said firmly and she looked to Scorp who was looking down. She waited the seconds it took for him to look up and she could see the agreement. He didn't want to ask her though, that's what she thought anyways.
"It will be tight but we can try it. Pajamas and teeth first you two." Scorp bounced in place and raced to her quickly, hugged her arm and then was out the door. Tray waited and then he softly said thank you and she could only smile instead of cry.
"Thank you for telling me." She replied as softly, then he smiled at her and was running after Scorp.
It felt like she didn't want to meet anyone's eyes as she stood and walked toward the door.
"Five minutes." She said as she walked out and it was silent behind her.
Five minutes later she was sitting on her bed with the boys and The Hobbit in her hands. Both were watching the door and she just smiled to herself and ignored the adult awkwardness she was sure was going to happen before the end of the story swept them away.
"Blaise wants to come too. Says he will bring a chair." Draco didn't meet her eyes as he spoke from the open door but watched the boys as they exchanged glances and then nodded at him.
"You're in mate." He said over his shoulder and she heard Blaise's relieved sigh and laughed quietly at their playing.
Then the grey eyes met hers and she made herself gesture easily and scooch back toward the headboard.
Theo made a small sound and she looked up and assumed he was waiting for some invitation which made her want to giggle and she did shut that down and made the same gesture.
Then they were all on the bed and it was cozy. Blaise sat in the chair and watched them with a small smile until she glared at him and he pointedly looked at the floor. It took some shifting but the boys made barriers and eventually the older two didn't look like stiff statues and she counted that good enough.
"Do you want to read?" She offered the book to the older blonde who shook his head and settled back. The pleading eyes were similar eyes to his son's at the moment and she rolled hers.
"You could just say please instead of using those eyes." Her quiet words got an outright laugh from Blaise and she ignored him.
"Please does work." Tray spoke this like sage advice and she chuckled then began the second to last chapter. When it was over she closed the book softly and just sat back against the pillow.
"James and the giant peach next?" Scorp asked into the quiet and she nodded easily.
"Sure. Are you two sleeping in here?" She asked them and looked between the relaxed faces closest to her.
"No." Tray said firmly and she nodded as seriously back at him. Not sure what he was thinking but it didn't matter.
"Let's go then. Your dad's can come too." She said this as she crawled over the males all over her bed that were not moving and ignored Blaise again. The smirk was smug and she didn't appreciate that it was at her expense.
"Is it acceptable that I don't want to at least?" Draco's voice came from Scorp's other side as she straddled his knees and hopped off the bed, finally.
"Totally acceptable mate." Blaise assured him and Theo made a low sound. She didn't acknowledge any of this and wanted the boys to be asleep when she left to meet Harry. Or close enough that one of them wouldn't come looking for her with some plan for tomorrow or something else.
"We can do this again." She said it placatingly and ignored the glances she could feel going around the room again.
"Piggy back My?" Scorp said and she huffed a laugh.
"Look at those shoulders? Don't you think it would be better to be higher off the ground?" She gestured at his dad and Scorp looked as if he hadn't considered it before.
"Maybe tomorrow." Was Scorp's eventual decision and she smiled at him and he hugged her waist on the way by.
"Did you guys decide if you want to try bunk beds before separate rooms?" She asked as she surveyed the fourth way they had laid out this room.
"I don't know My. Maybe like the L one we seen." Tray was as serious as usual and looking at the corner he was considering.
"No rush anyways." Soon they could go looking for things. Get things and be more normal in what they did. Here, at least as free as they had been in Italy. Muggle side anyways.
"Ready then?" She asked Tray and he nodded at her from his spot sitting up in his bed.
"Forehead?" She asked and he grinned at her. So charming and benevolent. Smiling at him wasn't voluntary and he closed his eyes as she kissed his forehead and brushed his curls out of the way. They exchanged good nights and he looked content.
Then she moved the other bed and Scorp's cheek was tilted toward her. She took the offering and ran her fingers through the soft blond strands.
"Good day today?" Hermione asked quietly, as she did nearly every night.
"Good day My. Tomorrow too." He said and the smile was tired and relaxed. All she could do was smile her agreement.
"Say goodnight." She mouthed at the two standing by the door still and she made an exaggerated eye gesture. Knowing by now that they felt awkward but that wasn't really important, a hug and a goodnight was enough. She pushed Blaise out of the room and moved to the landing, trying to give them privacy.
Then when Theo was closing the door, she walked down the stairs and couldn't read the look he gave her at the bottom. Malfoy looked appalled though and she looked her question.
"More instruction than that Granger." He said quietly and she didn't smile but caught Blaise's eye he knew she wanted to.
"I had none." She answered back after a second and the scoff she got in response was enough to set Blaise off laughing volubly.