'Meet tomorrow after work. Zabini's is fine. I miss you Mione. It was good to speak about it, even say some of what I think. Love you.' Both boys were watching the patronus with interest and as it faded they looked to her.
"That was Harry's." Scorp said and his eyes were questioning her.
The emotions filling her chest made it hard to speak. The tone of his voice said what his words didn't. Trustin had listened, had reacted as Harry expected and she felt real hope. Hope that they might get out of this without having to answer questions they shouldn't have to about the boys.
"Yes. That was his way of telling me the meeting went well. Your dad's will be home soon." She said and looked to Tray.
"You are going to see him." The boy said and she nodded.
"I've seen him a few times." Hermione said this as if it were expected and Scorp was sitting up straight from his place on the floor couch.
"You went to him? When?" The small voice asked and she felt the seriousness of the moment.
"Only at Blaise's house. Not alone and there is no risk. You know that he is my best friend. I trust him to always look out for me." The grey eyes moved from her to Tray and she met the blue eyes when they looked to her.
"Did Dad know?" Was Tray's question and she nodded.
"They both knew and while they would prefer I didn't, we needed to. It had to be safe like that but Harry is helping. This has been hard for him too." Tray dismissed that almost instantly but Scorp looked back to her.
"You like Blaise too." His adorable face was thoughtful.
"It's not an either or thing. I couldn't pick between you two. I couldn't pick between them either. I love them both. Blaise and I were friends before I found you two but not close like we are now. That comes from time and getting to know each other. I've been friends with Harry since I was twelve. I told you two about the troll." It had been an edited version, sort of. They wanted to know about her and there was so much she didn't want to share, didn't want them to know. Or she told them without them backstory, like it was a story.
"I don't like it." Tray said this seriously and she smiled gently, eventually he looked up. Those eyes seemed to be sharing everything he was thinking just then and she pulled him against her.
"That's because you don't trust him yet. You will, you will see that he loves me. It won't take him long to want to know you two either. Harry is fun and he loves the muggle world. He's having a baby so it will be a bit before he has much free time." Scorp moved so he was laying with his head on her thigh and she smiled down at him.
"A baby." Scorp said as if he had never seen one. He had, at parks and around. A woman at a park outside Naples had twin daughters and a son their age. They had met up a few times, or been there at the same time and the boys had been interested in the tiny little girls. Two months old and nearly identical.
"Yes. It's going to be so great. That baby smell and he is so excited. It's what he's always wanted, more than anything." It was true and she felt the usual happiness at the thought of Harry being a dad. He loved Ginny and they were happy together but this felt like victory for him. A family.
"Do you want a baby My?" Scorp asked and Tray went still beside her. She didn't react to that and thought about it.
"One day yes. I think it would be wonderful and you two would be great big brothers. At first the baby would just sleep while you read or something. They grow fast though and in no time would be playing peekaboo and following you two around." Scorp was watching her face and she could only see a frown. Then his eyes flicked to Tray and his little face hardened.
"It's not happening now. I would like to get married first. Fall in love, I want people to know about the kids I do have before I think about having another." At this Tray looked up and she wanted to smile and cry at the sad eyes. Sad but happy too and she loved him so much.
"I love you Traydon Nott. You are mine, the child of my heart and I love you. One day you will understand, maybe it will be a brother or sister. It could not be until you have a baby yourself but you will. Nothing could make me love you less. Nothing in the world." She let her fierceness through and didn't try and stop the single tear that fell down her cheek. Just kissed his forehead the way he liked and squeezed him to her.
"Me too My." Scorp said and she reached for him with her free arm.
"You are nearly perfection. Both of you in your own ways. I love you and will always love you. You will grow and wish I wouldn't kiss your cheek on the Platform in front of the other kids on the way to school. I'm sad just thinking about you two growing up." That was true too and Scorp giggled but Tray just pushed against her harder.
Sitting here with them like this felt better than it had yet. Blaise was nearly limp with relief and alternating between being silent and small bursts of speech.
Granger cried when she seen him and the way she cupped his face, told him how proud she was of him. It was a moment and he had seen it. Seen the way Blaise hugged her back and the noticeable decrease in tension as the witch was told what had happened.
Then her face had turned to him and she had bounced in place. Wiping her eyes and smiling, he watched her look to Theo then and something passed between them he didn't understand but Theo nodded once and then she smiled at him too.
The boys had been upstairs and waiting for them so they flew and had dinner. Everyone smiled more and Blaise beamed at them all like an idiot several times.
Then they had finished James and the Giant Peach. It was a good day all around. Blaise was on the floor couch and she was resting against a pillow on his legs, seemingly absently tracing the pattern on the carpet beside her.
Deciding it was better to speak than to look at her with both his friends watching him, look at her like he knew he was, he just went for it.
"Scorp told me you want a baby." Blaise flicked his eyes between the two of them and then down to the witch. Theo was still and Draco brushed reassurance over his shields. A glimpse of Scorp's tone and Tray saying she said not right now.
"Merlin. Yes one day I would like to have a baby. Do you think that's irrational?" The witch hadn't stopped tracing the carpet but looked at him then. Her eyes met his and he could see the challenge but also the curiosity.
"Bella, I hadn't even considered it." Blaise said as if the concept of her having a baby was totally foreign and she laughed up at the wizard. He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes. She always dismissed his overt charm and it was its own humour. That wrap dress hadn't been bought by her and Blaise had grinned at him provokingly when he saw her before they left for the Ministry.
"He's not sure about it." Was his reply and she smiled a small and sort of indulgent smile before she met his eyes again.
"No, they will share with each other but another?" The witch's provoking and chastising tone was amusing and he liked it more than he should.
"You haven't tried to train that out of them." Blaise said into the moment and she glanced at Theo before looking down.
"It isn't a bad trait, or I don't think it's a fault. To love someone or something and not want to share. Pretty normal too, for older kids." The witch looked up at Blaise and then at Theo and finally at him. Clearly asking what he thought and all he could do was keep most of his thoughts off of his face.
"I am to make sure you don't leave without our knowledge and also that you don't return with a baby." He relayed the instructions he had been given and she smiled so softly. Clearly thinking about the two boys and he watched Theo's face when the golden eyes flicked to his friend.
"I was given no instructions. Merely informed you were theirs and he didn't like Potter seeing you." He raised and brow as her smile fell. He watched them, Blaise was watching Theo, then he felt Theo against his occlumency shields and got the gist. The witch was theirs and he didn't like the idea of her being off with Potter or having a baby either.
"Maybe it won't be so bad when they know they won't be left behind. I'm not going to run off into the sunset and forget them." Granger said softly. Blaise made a low sound and he watched his friend gently run a hand over her curls.
It wasn't sexual but it clearly comforted the witch and Theo caught his eye.
The glances had been changing tenor as they watched the witch. Days went by and they spent more time with her. Christmas and the way she was becoming more comfortable with them. More confident too, she laughed easier and they got smiles sometimes. Huge honest ones that Blaise alone had gotten at first. She would sit by them, him before Theo usually but she wasn't as adverse to his quiet friend's eyes on her or his questions. Less defensive and just more natural.
Now he thought Theo too would prefer it was him touching her, rather than Blaise. For multiple reasons, there was the boys but there were other things too. Their friend wasn't enough for her.
Just as he had said when he first brought it up around the table in the kitchen, she would never be everything to Blaise and Theo thought she should have everything possible. Be as protected and cherished as she would allow. He would prefer Draco worshipped her to Blaise's appreciation.
It wasn't helping, Theo's fear or reluctance had been a real impediment, in his mind. Now it was lessening and he could see the moments of possessive feelings in Theo. It wasn't the same as he felt but it was just as deep in its own way and Blaise was pushing them. Not at her expense but he wasn't hiding it or not doing it for their comfort. The wizard wasn't inappropriate but he did take liberties and all three of them knew it.
"Explain to me why this is so important to you." Blaise requested from her bedroom door and she sighed before turning to him. She ignored her want to push it aside or just gloss over it.
"So many reasons Blaise." She said and he came in without closing the door. After he made a facial expression she thought was between a grimace and a sneer at the door she shook her head and didn't ask why having her door closed wasn't okay. Instead she cast muffliato and sat on her bed.
"I don't want any of you to feel trapped here. You have been with them and I'm glad. I don't want you not to see them or us. Just, you used to take at least one night a week and blow off some steam. A pretty witch you had met or a not totally lame party invite. You like it Blaise, getting out." He nodded once but didn't speak and didn't show anything in response.
"So it's not good for you to just give that up. I know you like having women, muggle or magical, swoon over you. Critiquing service and wine lists. Even the sun, you haven't been back to Italy for more than a few hours. You love the sun and the feeling of it. Even if they can't go, you should go and have an espresso at the little cafe you like in Venice. Just don't let this fight and us suck you dry. Refuel and recharge." This got a frown and so she kept going.
"Is it the magical part? Being with them in Wizarding areas?" Hermione just wasn't sure what was making them less willing. He didn't answer but she thought that was at least part of it.
"Find a Muggle pub you like. There's that one in Manchester we went to a few times. Small tables and the food was great. Take them with you and taste your way through the whiskey lists. Bring me home a few wines you've found. Make a list of places I should go. I'll keep sending you all on errands but fighting to get you three to have some time together is stressing me out. I'm okay to be with them, the elves are here." Her voice was soft by the end and the tension went out of him. Blaise's arms had been crossed and he dropped them and walked to the chair that lived in the corner for reading or whenever all of them were in her room.
The boys liked reading with them all in here, Blaise still had to ask but that was fun for all of them. Theo seemed to have decided that being on her bed was alright if the boys were here too. He came up as often as Draco did and alone now too. Just to see what they were doing. He liked to make things and they were visiting a Lego store just as soon as they could. No way was she sending those three or even Blaise into one alone.
"I could prep them. So they are more comfortable. It took me a while." He sounded thoughtful and she smiled at him.
"How are you?" He asked and lounged into the chair. Scanning her and she let the smile drop.
"Better now, it's way better now that it's not a big blank wall. I don't feel like we are as vulnerable now." Blaise's single nod showed his complete agreement and she felt more relief that he felt the same way. It had been two days and the lawyers reported more documents and evidence being compiled.
"Ask me witch." He said after seconds passed and she shrugged. Then looked down at the duvet on her bed instead of into his brown eyes.
"It won't matter. You didn't kidnap them, neither Theo or Drake will let anyone think it happened any other way. That's me and the lawyers aside." She nodded but couldn't say what she felt. That she was making this harder, more complicated. Maybe they should have done something else.
"Bella, those months were so healing for them. You were right to show them life. Let them see and learn, just to be. They've grown so much, hold that tight." His smile was a bit taunting when she met his eyes. He was right and she knew that was true.
She was better too, having had something to do. It wasn't a crusade though or a desperate bid to try and help. It was living. Eating and sleeping. Playing and learning too, just learning how to live and love.
Hermione knew her mental and physical health were way better now than when she had left England. Her 'living plan' had been in effect for nearly six months when she left but she hadn't really started believing or just living without a plan until she had the boys. Until they showed her how.
Blaise marvelled after their first long weekend away in Italy, they had been there for a few months. They rented a muggle cabin on a small lake in the mountains on the Swiss border and 'camped' for three nights. She called it camping. They had campfires and roasted things in it. Ate outside and washed their hands and feet before bed. Roughing it with plumbing and all the amenities.
He said that he had never just been somewhere like that. Walked around and hung out. Even napped in a hammock and they had played in the water and swam. Even used the canoe that had been there. She hadn't done it either and it really helped.
"You were right." She finally spoke quietly and this time made sure to hold the eye contact. Even when he raised a brow and smirked at her. The man was sinfully attractive and wielded it like a rapier.
"You didn't say much but that was your way of telling me I had nothing to worry about. I was scared." He dropped the brow and the smirk. Blaise knew she meant what they would think of her. It had been real, her fear that they would snub her or just not want her around.
"I knew. If only you knew. Theo tried not to see what he didn't want to at school. Draco though, he saw everything he shouldn't and I can't even begin to tell you what he knew about you then. Potter was a rival but you were forbidden and nearly unknown. A witch, so damned capable and forward. Unwilling to bow to his name. Not anything like he had been taught you should be." Her friend sounded nearly reminiscent and she rolled her eyes at the fond tone in his voice.
"I wasn't sure if he would be like he was at school. He wasn't in my head but I wasn't sure. There is still frequent sneering and he is a provoking ass." Blaise chuckled and his agreement was clear.
"It's fun though." Blaise said and now he was smirking again. A genuine one, not part of his mask and she smirked back. It was fun. The humour and taunts. Magic was making a comeback too and it was fun to use it for less utilitarian things. The four of them had put on a show of dancing glasses for the boys last night at dinner. Each of their glasses moved differently and they had colours and lights by the end. It was fun. Life was pretty fun all around. All she needed was a potions lab.