The first thing Draco was aware of was the smell of disinfectant, the second was the hum of the bright lights above him, the brightness that hurt his still closed eyes, he scrunched up his nose, turning his head to the side, the itchy material of the lumpy pillow scratching against his cheek.
"Are you awake," the familiar voice of his best friend spoke from beside him, Draco winced at the sound.
"Do you have to be so loud," he asked, opening his eyes carefully.
"Do you have to almost die," Theo asked his voice contrite.
"I'm fine," he replied, trying to push himself into a sitting position.
"Careful mate, Healer Bones said your likely going to be weak for at least another day," Theo told him, placing a hand on his shoulder to push him back onto the bed.
"What happened," he asked, his memory of how he'd got here to the hospital was foggy at best.
"Used up all of your magic, you weren't breathing when Harry got you here," Theo told him, his voice betraying the worry he felt.
"Where's Scorpius, how long have I been here," he asked as he shoved himself up, ready to jump out of his bed and go find his child.
"With your parents, he's fine, you've been here around six hours," Theo said, Draco cast his eyes to the dark-haired wizard, he had deep bags under his eyes and looked exhausted. Knowing that Scorp was okay, he relaxed, settling himself back against the bed, this time in a sitting position.
"How are Pansy and the kids," he asked, relieved that his son was okay," Theo smiled proudly.
"Zachariah and Jedediah are both completely healthy, Primrose is besotted with her new brothers and Pansy is doing grand. They are still in the hospital, Posy should be well enough to be discharged soon," Theo told him, running a tired hand through his hair.
"How are you doing," he asked.
"I'm now a proud father of three, just wish Posy hadn't been hurt by people who should love her unconditionally. Wish you didn't get hurt either, I didn't even know I was your next of kin until a patronus came saying you were here," Theo told him.
"After Tori left, I had to change it and you were the first person I could think of," he admitted, fighting down the anger that rose within him at the reminder of what had happened to his young goddaughter.
"Don't sweat it, if I didn't have Pansy, you'd be the person I'd choose too," Theo confessed.
"So whose magic do I have," he asked, he had felt itchy since the moment he woke up, Theo said he'd used up all of his magic which meant he must have had a transfusion to replace it, otherwise he'd be dead.
"Let's just say we both now owe debts to a certain curly haired healer," Theo told him.
"Hermione," he questioned.
"The one and only, the head healer wasn't impressed when she heard that her and Healer bones had done the ritual, to save you they broke a number of rules," Theo informed him.
"Where is she, is she okay," he asked worriedly, what was she even doing at the hospital, she was meant to be home sick today, he thought worriedly.
"She has her own room down the hall, popped by earlier to give my heartfelt thanks to her. Harry told me what you did while I was there, you killed Greyback," Theo told him, his memories of the events were fuzzy, but he remembered that part clear as day, Greyback flying into the tree, his neck twisted, eyes lifeless.
"Good riddance," he said, the world was better without that monster in it.
"Pansy sends her love to you by the way and told me to tell you to get your arse better so you can meet your new godsons before she makes someone else their godfather," Theo said, an amused smile on his face.
"She wouldn't dare," he gasped in mock horror.
"Her hormones are all over the place, I wouldn't test her," Theo laughed as a knock sounded on the hospital door of the room, before they could answer it opened enough for Harry to stick his head into the room.
"How's Hermione," he asked worriedly, Harry laughed.
"She sent me here to find out how your doing, his friend said, stepping into the room.
"So she's okay," he asked.
"She'll be fine, we were a bit worried about you though, please don't stop breathing on me again" Harry requested.
"I'll do my best not too," he promised.
"I'm going to get back to Pansy and the kids, I'll see you later Drake," Theo said, nodding at Harry as he stood and exited the room.
"So what happened after I passed out," he asked Harry as the dark-haired man took up Theo's vacated chair.
"Of the four teams that approached the farmhouse; ours is the one that left in the best shape with you effectively dead and me splinched," Harry said.
"Don't sugar-coat it Potter," he told his friend firmly.
"Sixteen of us went on the mission this morning, five of which are now dead with a further six critically injured due to the other teams been attacked by transformed werewolf's, at least five of these if they survive the injuries will be werewolves come the next full moon, we aren't sure if Robards was bitten or just diced by claws," Harry said grimacing.
"They got Robards," Draco asked shocked, Harry nodded.
"That means, your," Draco broke off as Harry nodded an unhappy frown on his face.
"Now acting head of the Auror Department, yes I am," he said unhappily.
"Robards will pull through," Draco reassured, though they knew Harry was to one day take over the department when the older Auror retired, they never expected he'd have to do so due to the older man been declared unfit to carry out his role.
"The healers aren't sure how many will survive the attack, Healer Clearwater said that we should prepare ourselves for further fatalities in the coming days," Harry confessed.
"They're strong," Draco tried to reassure.
"I hope so," Harry spoke sounding much older than he was, before Draco could respond the door to his hospital room flew open admitting a blur of curly brown hair.
"Hermione what on earth are you doing, your meant to be resting," Harry spoke hurrying to the woman's side.
"You took too long," she said, her eyes fixed on Draco, as Harry helped her to the seat he had just vacated.
"I owe you my life, thank you again for your help Hermione, it seems you've become a bit of a lucky charm for my family," he said, reaching out to squeeze her hand with his.
"You're okay," she asked worriedly.
"I am, thanks to you, how are you," he asked, scanning her for signs of distress or damage with his eyes.
"I'm okay," she said as the door opened again, admitting more people to his room.
"I don't think I've ever been so popular," he commented as his parents came in with Scorpius.
"DADDY, HEALER MIONE," his son yelled as he ran into the room, scrambling onto the bed close to where Hermione sat.
"Have you been good for your grandparents," he asked, kissing his son's blonde curls, Scorpius nodded, burrowing into his side.
"Yes Daddy, Healer Mione did you make daddy better," his son asked staring at the woman with innocent eyes.
"She did Scorp, she made me better just like she did yourself and Posy," he nodded.
"Oh, thank you, Healer Mione," he squealed throwing himself into Hermione's arms, Draco watched Hermione catch the three-year-old, wrapping her arms securely around the boy, bringing him in for a cuddle.
"Your more than welcome Scorp," she smiled down at his son, her eyes joyful as she held the child, as he watched her, he couldn't help but think that this was how Tori should have reacted to the child, Granger hadn't known Scorpius long, but she acted the way a mother should, loving and kind while Scorp's own mother had been distant and cold, not bonding at all with her son.
"Miss Granger, thank you for helping my boys," his mother spoke, a tender smile on her face as she watched the woman holding her grandchild.
"I was just doing what any healer would do," Hermione said.
"No you went above and beyond, our family owe you," his father spoke firmly.
"As I said, I was just doing my job," she insisted.
"Most healers wouldn't give their own magic to a patient," his father commented.
"Hermione isn't most healers," Harry imputed.
"Healer Mione is the best healer," his son commented, reaching up to kiss Hermione's cheek, his arms wrapped around her neck.
"It helps that I have the best patients," she commented, tickling his son's stomach, Scorpius giggled and for a brief moment Draco imagined a future where Hermione and he were together, where Scorpius had a mother devoted to him and perhaps siblings of his own to play with.
"Miss Granger, anything you need, name it and it's yours," his farther spoke, always willing to throw money around when he felt he was indebted to people.
"I don't need anything Mr Malfoy, honestly, I just wanted them to be okay, the thought of Draco not been there for Scorpius was too much to bear, I'd do the same again. I lost my own parents during the war, and nobody should have to experience that, especially not someone so young and innocent. His mother might have made the decision to leave but I had it in my power to ensure Draco didn't and to keep him happy I'd do the same again," she spoke firmly her eyes fixed on his father.
"I didn't know you'd lost your parents," Draco spoke quietly.
"It was my own fault, I modified their memories to keep them safe, unfortunately I did such a good job of it that the spell is irreversible," she said her eyes watering.
"Don't be sad, Healer Mione," Scorp said, brushing away her tears with his tiny fingers.
"I'm not sad darling," she whispered, holding the tot closer.
"If it's any consolation you kept them safe, I know that you know who tried to hunt them down," his father spoke quietly, regrettably.
"I figured he would do, they have a daughter now, Hermione Wilkins," she chuckled.
"Good name," Draco smiled.
"She's a witch too, the Australian Ministry have been keeping tabs on them for me, she'll get her acceptance letter next year," she smiled sadly.
"For Hogwarts," he asked quietly.
"No, I think it's best she be kept safe, she looks too similar to me, if she came here, people would hound her, the media, the other students, if she goes to one of the Australian schools, she'll be able to grow up normally," she said quietly.
"The way we didn't," Harry added, stroking Hermione's back soothingly.
"Better to never know of my existence than to uproot her and change her life," she said quietly.
"So you have no family," his mother asked quietly, Hermione shook her head.
"In the traditional sense no I suppose I don't, but my friends have children, so I have them to dote on and I always have somewhere to go in the holiday's," she said quietly.
"You're not married," his mother observed, her eyes fixed on Hermione's bare ring finger.
"Almost but no," she replied calmly.
"No children of your own," his mother questioned.
"Mother that is enough," he spoke firmly as Hermione began to cry. He remembered Hermione's fevered confessions of how she'd miscarried, and it was likely she'd never be able to have a child of her own.
"Miss Granger, I didn't mean to upset you," his mother spoke as Hermione stood up, placing Scorpius on the bed beside him.
"I think I need to rest," she said, Harry took a step towards her, but she shook her head at him, turning and fleeing the room, Harry at her heels.
"Well done mother," he said, as he tried to console his son who had begun to cry at the sudden departure of his favourite healer.
"I didn't mean to upset the girl," his mother said.
"She can't have children," he told his parents quietly, his mother paled, she'd always wanted more children but had struggled with infertility herself.
"I had no idea," his mother said, taking the vacated seat.
"She had a miscarriage and was told it would be unlikely she'd ever be able to carry a baby to term, she suffered too much trauma in the war," he said quietly as Scorpius began to hiccup, his silver eyes wide.
"All she wants in the world is a family, something she's unlikely to ever have," he said quietly.
"Healer Mione could be in our family Daddy," Scorpius piped up as though one could simply adopt another person instantly.
"It's not that simple Scorp," he said, smiling down at his sweet boy.
"Why," his son asked, why indeed he thought, Hermione would make a terrific mother and Scorp was well on the way to loving her.
"We'll find a way to make her wish come true," his father said suddenly.
"What are you on about love," his mother asked, casting her eyes to her husband.
"We owe Miss Granger for helping Scorp and saving Draco's life, lets get her the family she wants," he said.
"It isn't simple father," he laughed.
"Perhaps not, but we have money, lots of money. She doesn't want anything from us, but we are going to give her it; she modified her families memories so we'll find a specialist, someone she couldn't possibly get and see if her parents can have their minds restored. Then we'll do the same for her fertility issues," his father said.
"While your father is running his schemes you can woo the witch, give her a ready-made family," his mother smiled.
"Mother," he gasped.
"I have eyes and you boys are both besotted with her," she smiled at her son and grandson.
"She'd be a wonderful mother," he confessed.
"She will be, one way or another," his mother said firmly, her eyes determined. Draco supposed if anyone could pull off such a scheme as to make Hermione's dreams come true it would be his parents with their conniving, Slytherin ways.
"What do you need me to do," he asked quietly.
"Why don't you start by asking Miss Granger on a date and leave the rest to us," his mother said, patting his hand as she stood up.
"We'll need her Medical records," his father said.
"That shouldn't be a problem, come on Scorpius, we need you to be a cute distraction," his mother said, lifting his son into her arms.
"By daddy," Scorpius called with a wave as he was carried out of the room, Draco fell backwards with a sigh. Hopefully his mother didn't do anything too illegal in her quest, he thought to himself as he allowed his eyes to drift shut, after so many visitors he felt worn out and in need of a long nap.
"Get some rest son," his father said before following his wife out of the room, within minutes Draco was fast asleep; submerged in a dream where it was a beautiful summers day, and he was having a picnic with his family. Scorpius was older, perhaps seven or eight years old in the dream and his son was getting chased around the garden by three younger children who had curly brown hair and silver eyes. While the children played Draco sat with a slightly older Hermione on a striped picnic blanket, she held a small blonde toddler who had rich chocolate eyes, that matched her own while her stomach was swelled, pregnant with another baby. Draco was enthralled by the dream and the beautiful woman who leaned over and kissed him sweetly, before holding out a slice of cake for him to eat.
"I love you Draco," dream Hermione spoke sweetly, the tot in her arms reaching out to be held by him. Draco awoke with a start, for someone was stroking his face, disturbing him from his pleasant dream.
"What are you doing here," he asked, the dark-haired witch whose blue eyes watered as she looked upon him.
"Can't a wife visit her husband when he's in the hospital," Astoria asked kindly, running her manicured finger along his cheek.
"Ex-wife," he corrected.
"Don't be like that Draco," she whined.
"You're not welcome here, Tori," he said pulling away from her.
"Where's Scorpius," she asked quietly, her eyes scanning the room.
"You gave up your rights to him," he reminded her, it was one of the first thing's she'd done before even their divorce papers had been finalised, signing their son over to him completely.
"I'd like to see him," she commented.
"No, we aren't doing this, you aren't confusing my son," he said.
"Our son," she corrected, Draco shook his head.
"No he's mine, I'm the one who stayed, who took care of him, waking to feed him, to change him. I'm the one who reads him stories and who he calls for if he has a nightmare. He doesn't even remember you," he said.
"Daphne said he's grown," she commented.
"That's what happens to babies they grow, especially if you are gone for years," he said.
"I made a mistake," she told him with a pout.
"Our son wasn't a mistake but your right you have made a mistake, coming here is a mistake. Your parents and Daphne have been a part of Scorp's life, you chose not to be, and you have to stick to that decision. I won't let you pop in and out whenever you want, Scorp is too important to me," he said firmly.
"Draco," she cried.
"No, if he wants to contact you when he's older that's his choice but for now it's my job to protect him, even from his own mother, leave Tori and don't come back," he said.
"Blaise left me," she told him.
"I don't care, you know he's always been a player, why would he change for a tramp like you," he asked, Astoria stared at him enraged, before standing and exiting the room. Draco allowed himself to fall back once more, hopeful that he'd be able to re-enter the dream he'd been in before his ex-wife awoke him, unfortunately for him his mind was racing, and sleep did not come as easily as it had the first time. Alone in his hospital room, Draco laid awake, staring at the ceiling tiles, until a tentative knock came to the door many hours later.
"Hi, can I come in," Hermione asked, sticking her head into his room, Draco nodded, a small smile gracing his lips as she shuffled in, eyes red rimmed, her hair wild.
"You look about as good as I feel," he commented, Hermione laughed, a musical sound that made Draco think, maybe everything would be okay after all.