Disclosure Hp belongs to JKR. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
36 weeks later
Today is a celebration of life at the Malfoy Manor. Draco holds his young bride's hand. He cannot take his eyes away from his beloved, nursing his newborn son. They had dreams, an omen about the child coming, a message that he has been here before.
They both hope they were not mistaken, and know they will make right for the professor that was so unfairly judged in his previous sad life. Their son will know only love and will be raised by adoring parents, and also by Lucius.
Although the couple might be a bit young, they will learn from each other. One will learn to laugh and not work so hard; and the other to shed old hatreds and be a better wizard. While they might be young chronologically, they have seen and done too much, and both are ready to be the best parents the newborn could ever wish for.
"Promise, you will never leave again, I would die this time," tears roll down his alabaster skin, fear is clouding his eyes.
Lucius stands right beside him, placing his hand on his loved son's shoulder, reassuringly. Albeit, he also awaits for her answer; not sure if he could survive her desertion. His current threshold for pain is quite low.
She moves a little and pats the bed in invitation, "Never, I was scared. My mother confused me." Draco stretches his body close to her, and Lucius sits next on the other side.
She looks from Draco, who is somewhat calmer, to Lucius, whose eyes shine with adoration for the three beings more important to him on the entire world. Life has given him these precious gifts, and he is not going to waste them, not this time around. No, he won't because that would make him a wasteful fool.
Something is going on between the three older Malfoys, that much is clear to anyone who might see them together. However, Malfoys have many heavily guarded secrets. It is common knowledge that there are never stepmothers; neither second marriages if a Lady Malfoy already inhabits the Manor. It just doesn't happen. Their family circles are close, very, and their privacy walls are extremely high.
Not that anyone, in their right mind, will ever attempt to breach those invisible structures of secrecy, in order to find out more. Lucius might be changed, but he still is, and will be, a Malfoy foremost of all. Well, Lucius, Draco, and Hermione all are Malfoy, and let no one out there forget…unless, they wish to put their safety in peril.
This day, Lucius wears a humble dragon-leather bracelet around his wrist. One he never takes off; hardly the adornment for one so exalted. Little do they know what it represents to him; its scent of goodness saved his sanity. It is the same scent that now cleanses every room she enters.
She is the new Lady Malfoy; the witch beloved by her Malfoy males. She is the living presence that erases the screams, the cries of agony both father and son still hear around the Manor; and, also clears the stench of death lingering in the recesses of their olfactory memory.
Lucius knows the power of her magical scent. Why, because it even vanishes all psychic remains of those days when madness reigned in the home of his elders; he is certain, the voices inside the walls have told him so.
He often brings the bracelet up to his nose, a talisman against dark memories. Yes, the dragon leather bears a magical imprint of her essence, better than precious metals and glittering stones.
Gifts from Where?
Both wizards hear a sound by the window, the day has turned suddenly dark. Outside at the grounds, a swarm of fire flies has appeared, or what seems like it. They stand to watch, wands on hand just in case. Hermione reclines, half sitting, also armed and ready to protect her family.
From the ground, right in the middle of the swarm, winged forms rise. They are reminded of that night after the battle, of the ectoplasm dancers. Seconds later, they all see eyes peering through the window, staring, not blinking, straight at the baby.
No flying nothings, those already disappeared, just disembodied glowing eyes. When the fire flies surround the eerie eyes, the sun comes out again; and all the visions vanish with the day's light. Hermione's thin voice say, "A viewing, they came to meet him, and pay their respects. " No one disagrees. As to the identity of "they," nobody has an inkling.
The air changes, is now perfumed of neroli, the perfume of bitter orange tree blooms, mixed with the fragrance of regular orange blossoms. They all recognize the scent, a favorite of Hermione. When, they are able to walk again, they notice the estate grounds covered with the small blooms. They see seven new citrus trees still blooming, in the place where the apparitions were first seen.
Unknown to them, the last remains of evil leave the manor. The same magic that created the trees is welcoming the baby to a cleansed home. The child is, after all, its ward, and, thus, 'It' accompanied by his minions came, visited and made its presence known. Nothing is said, it is as it should be.
"Why seven, why seven trees" Lucius asks. He has a theory.
Hermione and Draco remember the seven streams of light shooting out her lower stomach. Both wonder, choosing to say nothing, they hold hands.
Lucius shrugs his shoulders, who is he to question higher powers beyond his understanding, it is what it is. Instead of worrying, he looks at the baby, "His name should be Severus," that much is clear to him.
All nod agreeing, they know the clear eyes, already focused.
Narcissa
Today is a day of celebration at Malfoy Manor, they just received an owl, Narcissa gave birth to a daughter. Everyone rejoices once again, all those who work for them dance for the second time that day.
When the pregnancy was announced. Lucius asked her to stay, her baby would be his, one mistake doesn't erase years together. Whatever his faults, he loved her. He remembers that day.
"I cannot, I love another and have for a long time. Harry was a mistake, but my heart was someone else's, and now he is gone. He was your best friend. Now, my first love is alone, and I must go to him. I've loved him since I was nine, but Bella wanted him for herself. She was never right, and brought the brothers great pain and evil into their lives. Maybe she was damaged during the Death Eaters gatherings at our home, I think she was used, who knows." She still defends her crazed, wicked sister, the ties of filial love.
She pushes Lucius when he tries to hold her, seemingly she has loved, loves two others, and not him. She continues talking, "Both him and his brother have asked me to come and be with them. It is time I get away from here; I see Severus in every place I look." Yes, another casualty of the Battle, Lucius' heart. Albeit he has healed, he still wears the scars.
As expected, her words cut thru his heart like a searing knife, and he cries when facing the double betrayal. Later, a few days ago, Narcissa came clean.
She sent him an owl, he read it.
Severus never asked me. I was the one who begged, but he refused. He was too honorable and loved you like a brother. Besides, his heart was already taken. He only loved once; and he was loyal and honored those he loved, you and the Muggle born. Yes, how ironic, he told me his forever beloved was Harry's mother. Matters not, I still love him and want to live with his memory. With Rodolphus and his brother, I have a chance to forget.
Andromeda
Today is a day of sadness. Within a year she lost her husband, her daughter, and her son-in-law. Today she lost her sister.
Today is a day of happiness, Rabastan just came over, he is holding a small bundle. He is grieving, his eyes are reddened with tears.
"Dora, her name is Dora for short. It was Narcissa's name choice. " Rabastan and his brother, who just apparated, see Andromeda with new eyes. They realize she is a mix of Bella, without the darkness, and of Narcissa, without all the glitz; she is an understated, serene beauty, and her eyes are kind and gentle.
Both will become regular visitors in the days to come. A dilemma has been solved, at least within their brains. They will have two new children to start a new dynasty to make up for Bellatrix's cursed womb; they both decide nearly on the spot.
Her pull is calling them, and they don't wish to resist. And who knows? The witch is young enough. It matters little that Teddy's father was a werewolf. They want to live, and Teddy is young. He can learn to love them; for them will be easy, a son is a treasure.
While they are there, the room fills with the sweet smell of orange blossoms. Simultaneously, the brothers see a swarm of ghostly flies; seemingly, they are coming out of their bodies. And to their relief, they see them leave out an open window. Andromeda has seen it, yet, she says nothing.
When she saw them, her free hand pulled out her wand. Ready to protect the tiny baby asleep on her chest. She just puts her wand away, breathes, and is now relieved.
When the flies are all gone, at once, their hearts feel lighter. They both experience the same well-being of those days long ago. Days when the two young Lestrange wizards played with the two Black sisters while Bella laughed at their 'children's games,' laughing with envy and derision and moved away. She sat to admire her beautiful face's refection on the silver mirror, stolen from Madam Lestrange.
This day, Rodolphus and Rabastan point out a likeness, now evident to the three present; the pink hair baby, they just brought, has the nearly white Malfoy hair, nobody else has, yet it has curls.
"She swore the baby wasn't Lucius baby. It was impossible considering the dates." Nobody has an answer. How can they? And her eyes, the eyes are Dora's. They are their exact likeness; thus, they agree to test her magic core; it is all too confusing.
While they visit, Teddy, a toddler, wakes up from his nap. He goes to check the new arrival and cries to be allowed closer. Once he sits next to Andromeda, his wet smooches cover the baby's face. He is clearly smitten with her; they all are.
A day later, the baby is tested and her magical core is verified. Although, faint traces of Black and Potter magic are found within the core, one thing is clear, Dora is a Malfoy.
They take Andromeda to the Malfoys with the baby, while the Lestrange wait outside respectfully
The news of Narcissa's parting, strangely, bring Lucius a closure of sorts along with many tears. Draco cries for his mother, but the happiness brought by the Malfoy heir, and by Draco's half sister, takes center stage.
Once Andromeda sees her new grand-nephew, she has many unanswerable questions. Could the girl be the sister of the new Malfoy heir; but how?
Accusations - Undeniable facts
During the next couple days angry owls and distressed callers arrive at the Manor. The visitors are the flummoxed and disturbed grandparents. Some accuse Draco and others Lucius, of being Lotharios. The three couples, all carry small bundles on their tow.
There are now five babies who are deemed to have a Malfoy magic core. The mothers know who the fathers are, at least according to them. They have magically attested that neither Draco, nor Lucius has ever touched them, not even a finger.
It is all clearer, at least to Lucius. He now understands why he was forced to witness Draco and Hermione that night after the battle. He quickly relives the night he cannot forget.