"What are you two doing?" Hermione asked the boys from the door to their room. They had finished school this morning and then flew. It was pouring and so even with charms they didn't do more than their daily requirement to keep up their streak. They had played a game of kids scrabble and then after lunch had gone to their room.
This wasn't that unusual but an hour later she had gone to find out what they were doing. They could have been drawing or doing any number of things and she would have walked away as quietly as she had approached but since they were seated side by side at the head of Tray's bed she asked the question.
Only one pair of eyes came up and instead of being the dark blue ones, they were gray and she was walking forward before a second had passed. The unsure and upset face was somewhat alarming but it was more that Tray didn't look up.
"Is this about them going to the Bank?" She asked quietly as she sat facing them on the bed. Moving the quidditch figurines our of her way and settling down, legs crossed and as relaxed as she could be.
Neither answered but Scorp looked down and she wanted to hug them. Scoop them up and whisper reassurances. Maybe this wasn't the problem though so she didn't and waited.
"My dad said even if you could go, it wasn't safe." Tray spoke quietly and she blinked. Glad that they weren't looking at her in that second as she decided what to say.
"Inside the bank is fine. We've studied magical species and the goblin nation is firm about the Ministry not interfering with their clients. They aren't much for Wizarding problems, usually our problems hurt them, and so they don't really acknowledge what our government does. Your dad meant more my actually going into Diagon Alley. I've told you about it, I can't wait for us to go. My friend George will be so excited to supply you with things to help you have fun and make trouble." Hermione stopped because Tray's eyes did come up then and all she could see was his stubborn expression.
"No My, we can't go. You can't go, only they can. I don't want you to go either." Tray's little voice was firm and she didn't chastise him for his tone.
"Not right now but we will be able to." Hermione tried to keep her tone reasonable. In that moment she felt all the frustration at the stupid situation boil up.
"I don't want to." Scorp nearly yelled this and his little body was tense all of a sudden.
"Can I come sit with you?" Hermione caved and asked them. Not wanting to be unable to touch them and feeling like she would cry if she couldn't hug them.
"Your bed." Scorp spoke this quietly and she could hear his real want for that.
"Let's go then. It's bigger anyways." Trying to keep her voice even and she wasn't surprised when they each had a hand in hers before they reached the door to the hallway.
A minute later they were on her bed and she was sandwiched between them. Their heads pressed against her and she could feel Scorp start to cry.
Closing her eyes, she let all of her anger rage. How dare anyone do this to them. To her even. Both boys were alright and she would take this over being without them and not seeing them but it was so useless and it felt like she was being punished. Like the boys were, for something they hadn't done and didn't understand. Hermione didn't understand and she wasn't six years old. As soon as she could, she tamped the anger down hard and then the sadness.
"You do want to go. I want to go there with you. To a quidditch game too. Lots, I can't believe I'm saying this but we are totally going to get all dressed up. Jerseys and face paint even. Maybe we could try and see every team before you pick a favorite. We are going to go and pick beds you want and to so many museums and sights. You two liked learning about the Tower of London, we will go. Maybe to a couple of the big estates so you can try and guess what yours look like. Not Italian certainly. We are more contained and less flamboyant here in England." Letting them hear her certainty then her haughty tone when she said England. There were dozens more things she wanted to add but this wasn't about what she wanted to do. It was about whatever was really bothering them.
"Dad is scared." Tray said so quietly that she barely heard him. The shirt he was talking into didn't help and she thought about that.
"Both of them have every reason to be careful. You were hidden and hurt, both of you. He isn't scared to do something or of any one person but of losing you. Of losing me too, for you. All they want is for you to be safe and happy. How to do that, it's their right to be careful. Your dad is just as protective Scorp, only he isn't quite as pessimistic. Like Tray is different from you, Theo thinks of what might go wrong more often." Tray didn't move at her words but Scorp's eyes came up and she wandlessly spelled his tears away and cooled his eyes. Not wanting to move either arm.
"You stay My." He said it as a question and she nodded. Then couldn't help hugging him to her.
"I will. I am, we talked about it. Your dads and me, I didn't know before they got out. What they would think or really any more than you did. They both said that I could be part of your life. Maybe not all together like this forever but I will always be your My. You will always be my boys. I love you both. So do they. So much, I think when the threat is gone, when there isn't anything more than usual life to be afraid of, it will be easier for all of us. I worry about you too. We are safe here. That's enough for now. I don't want either of you two to worry more about things than you did before. They are okay to be out and about. To do things and work at making it safe for people to know about you. No one does. Maybe five people outside of the ones here know about either of you. I told you about this." Tray finally looked up and so she stopped talking, Scorp was looking at his friend. The eye contact was long and she watched them.
They were so close and could say so much this way, it was beautiful and they always took each other into account. Sometimes they wanted different things but it was as if they were unwilling to leave the other out and so compromises. Took turns or decided on something different.
"Will we stay together? When they know?" Tray asked and she could see his need to know for sure.
"I don't think anything will change right away. Things will, I mean we will be able to go out and things. Not things here though or in our lives. I've got some friends who I want to see and who want to see me. People I want to introduce you to. Your dad's probably do to." She answered softly. So much would change for them. What they saw and did. Meeting people and being in the magical world more. The things important to them wouldn't though. It made that painful conversation from what felt like a long time ago so worth it.
Time passed and she wasn't sure if they were sleeping or just still and calm. Eventually the tension was gone and Scorp slung an arm over her waist. It was easy to do the same. To lay quietly with them and think. Their warm weight was comfortable and it felt grounding. Like this was important and real, even if there things she should be doing, this was better. For her and for them.
Pop.
"Masters be home." Treacle said quietly and she nodded. Then nodded again when he only waited. Assuming it was for permission of some kind before the elf told them where they were. Or indicated whether they could be bothered or not. Whatever weird thing it was, it was fine.
The footsteps were quiet but they were coming and she didn't let herself move or shift. Neither boy did though she knew they were awake. Both had tensed slightly and she didn't want to do that too. Have them feel it, they knew she didn't with Blaise in a similar situation. No knock came when the sounds stopped so she quietly called out for the men to come in.
Theo opened the door and didn't move any further than looking around it to them. His eyes were looking at them and she just waited until he met hers. What it meant she wasn't sure but she nodded him to come in. Which didn't happen until Draco shoved him lightly and then followed him through.
When Draco stopped with his hand on the door she watched him do something similar. Instead of the near roil of emotions she could see but not discern on Theo's face it was less emotions that she could see but them more clearly. First he took in the scene and then his eyes traced Scorp and she watched his gaze travel up her until it met her eyes and she only showed what she hoped was acceptance. Whatever they were going through or thinking, it was alright and they could take whatever time.
The nearly desperate look there did make her tense though. It had been greedily taking them in but the shift was abrupt and she felt Tray wiggle closer. With that reminder, she relaxed and nodded once. Whatever it was, it was fine. Everything was fine. Then she had a thought and wondered if it wasn't.
The way her eyes flicked between them and her questioning expression must have asked the question and Theo spoke quietly.
"It's fine. We got the papers." His deep voice said and she could only nod her relief. The two were standing two feet apart at the foot of the bed and Draco's eyes were flicking between hers and the open space below the boys and her.
Scorp looked up at her then, as if he too knew his dad wanted to come lay down with them. Or it was what she thought Draco wanted and Scorp asking made it feel alright to speak.
"You can pile in if you want. We needed some time and some reassurance." Draco was moving immediately after she spoke but Theo didn't. He held her eyes while Draco crawled onto the bed and then the blonde stopped. She would have gestured or indicated he could just make himself comfortable but Theo seemed to be asking a question too and she had no idea what it was.
"It's your bed Granger." Draco said quietly and she did look to him then. He was still on hands and knees by her knee and she wasn't sure exactly what that meant but she got the gist.
"Make yourself comfortable." It could have been flippant but wasn't and Theo still didn't move so she met Draco's eyes again held them while he climbed over Scorp, who giggled. Then she watched him rearrange himself behind the smaller body and then lift Scorp and she smiled at The grey eyes boy when he looked to her. This was good. This was great and he didn't smile but didn't resist resting on the two of them instead of her and the bed. Draco's head was close to her shoulder and Scorp's head close to his. They looked adorable with their matching eyes and hair. Both looking at her and she couldn't help the grin then.
Tray shifted and she looked to find Theo at the edge of the bed by her feet and Tray was staring at his father. Maybe this was what was causing Theo's reluctance, or part of it.
"Tray?" She asked quietly and before he could answer, Scorp did.
"It feels good Tray." That was adorable and she heard the slow exhale Draco took at the words.
"It's a big bed Theo." It was all she could think so say but his eyes met hers and she nodded slightly. Then she gently carded her fingers through the dark curls beside her and didn't stare while Theo got himself on the bed and lay beside Tray. His head further up the bed by hers but further away.
She looked to Scorp who looked encouraging while he stared at Tray who was meeting his friend's eyes. Then she flicked a glance to Draco who must be able to see everything from his place.
His eyes met hers and she saw him consider and then make a decision. His eyes flicked to Theo and then he raised a hand and moved it slightly to her. It took a second but she thought she understood and nodded then looked to Theo while Draco reached that hand over Scorp and laid it gently on her stomach. Just below the two heads. Theo flicked his eyes between them and she made a pointed look at Tray and then his hand. Wondering if her own physical ease with being touched by him would make a difference. If that was what Draco thought.
Very little of her felt uncomfortable and mostly interested in the moment and hopeful for this as a strategy. Scorp's eyes had been so attentive to her while his dad moved and then when Draco had settled into place.
Now she flicked her glance to Tray when she saw Theo lift his hand. Giving as much encouragement with eye contact as she could and keeping while she met the eyes just a few shades lighter than his father's.
Tray's whole body was tense and then she felt him press into her when the big hand settled just below Draco's. The two hands took up pretty much all of her exposed abdomen and she gently carded her fingers through Tray's hair again.
"It's alright Tray. We don't know each other as well as Blaise and I do. Haven't got to spend as much time together but we will. Maybe your dad will dance with me one day. Blaise says he is brilliant at it, I can't imagine anyone being better than him but he says it's true. He's big, I've never seen him be anything other than physically gentle. Your dad would be good to lean against on the floor too. Imagine how high he could push you on those tall swings. Maybe we could find some here. You'll be huge by the time we go back to Italy." Ignoring how strange it felt to speak about Theo this way was hard. While the man in question was looking at her and it was true that they didn't know each other well.
"Don't you have anything nice to say about me Granger?" Draco asked and she was grateful for the respite from the searching eyes on the younger Nott and looked at the older blonde instead of the younger brunette.
"No." Was her pert reply and Theo laughed. It wasn't long or loud but it was genuine and she smiled down at Tray. He didn't smile but he did relax some and she thought it would be alright. Eventually Theo relaxed more too and the hands got heavier on her and so did the relaxed weight of the boys. It was comfortable and not. That was enough for now.
Author's Note: To the guest who left a review last chapter; I went through and edited it, Ch 19. I went through this one and tried to clarify as well. Could you let me know what you think and if things were clearer? Thanks so much to everyone who reads and reviews! I am not JKR and don't own Harry Potter etc.
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