EPILOGUE

Hermione hated being late, and yet here she was, running late.

Her chest grew tight as she ran down Diagon Alley struggling to catch her breath. Papers were flying out of her hands, but she let them fall. She had second copies in her office anyway.

Families were crowding the street as they shopped for their children's school books and other necessities. She apologised to the people she ran into but didn't bother looking back when she shouted. She was running late. She hated being late.

Her feet hurt from running in heels.

"Stupid uniform policy," she muttered to herself. Her foot was slightly too small for the shoe which caused her to slip every third step.

If it weren't frowned upon, she would have tossed them in the bin and continued barefoot.

Rounding a corner, she reached her destination, wheezing and gasping for breath. The cafe was predictably busy, it always was during her lunch break. Even if it was a Wednesday.

Her eyes scanned the outer tables but the people she was in search of weren't seated there.

She held a hand against her heart and steadied her breathing before heading inside. Droplets of sweat dripped from her forehead, to which she wiped away with the back of her blouse sleeve. The door dinged when she stepped inside, and the familiar smell of chocolate croissants filled her senses.

Over by the counter stood Draco Malfoy.

He had his daughter in his arms. Her hair was a glossy black that was straighter than a pin, and skin that was dark, contracting her father's exposed forearms holding her up. Hermione believed that both of those features must have come from her mother.

The little girl pointed at the items in the glassed cabinet that she desired, giggling when Draco tickled her sides. The sound made Hermione's heart tighten.

Straightening out her skirt, she approached the father and daughter, "Hi."

Draco turned, a smile spreading across his well-aged face. The shoulder length hair really helped keep him appearing younger than what he was.

"Mummy!" The little girl squealed with delight. "Mummy wook! Cuptakes!

"Yes, darling, cupcakes. Good girl!"

Hermione reached for her daughter, to which Draco gladly handed her over after a no doubt, challenging morning. He kissed her sweetly.

"You're late," he stated.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. You know I hate being late."

"And yet," he tilted his head. "You always are."

She fixed the button on her daughter's dress, "I'd gladly be the stay-at-home parent if you wish to swap?"

"You couldn't, even if you tried, Granger."

"Gwanger…"

Draco tapped the little girl's nose. "That's not a word you should use, Aubrey. Only Daddy can call Mummy that."

Aubrey pouted. "Awh," Hermione laughed, bringing her tiny head to her collar, "You're crushing her."

"I'm sorry, darling," Draco folded, pinching her cheeks. "You can do whatever you want for the rest of your life."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You are so easy! What are you going to do when she's sixteen, huh?"

"Tell her that she's adopted?"

"She already knows that. They all do. You can't play that card."

Two boys came running from the direction of the bathroom, their older brother, Teddy in toe. The seven year old pushed the five year old to get to their mother first.

"Mummy!"

"Mummy!"

Hermione bent to level with her sons, "Hello sweethearts. Scorpius, don't push your brother. Can you please apologise to him?"

Scorpius shoved his hands in his pockets, a mirror image of his adoptive father, and bowed his head shamefully. "Sorry, Leo."

"Thank you, darling. You look very handsome with your bow tie today."

He blushed and kissed her hello. Leo hugged his mother around her neck. She pretended to nibble at his ear and he squirmed, giggling as he pulled away.

Hermione stood back up and kissed Teddy on the forehead, "Hey, sweet boy. How are you feeling?"

"Like I want to ride my broom into a brick wall."

Draco chuckled, "That sounds about right. Will a croissant help?"

"No. But order six anyway, would you, Dad?"

"You got it, kid."

The children followed Hermione to a table while Draco ordered their lunch. Aubrey had only turned two last week, and sat at the head of the table next to her mum in her high chair. Scorpius and Leo were across from each other, and Teddy always ensured that he had a seat next to Draco at the end.

"Okay, what have we got left on the list to get you?" Hermione asked.

Teddy pulled out his Hogwarts book list, "Dad and I got my robes fitted, as well as the rest of my quills and parchment. The only thing left was what pet I wanted to bring, and my charms book."

"Have you thought about what pet you'd like?"

"Better not be a cat," Draco chimed in, taking his reserved seat.

"Daddy, can I please get a new broom this afternoon!" Leo begged. "Mines all broken and I need a new one."

"I'll think about it."

Hermione eyed him from her seat. He sighed, defeated by the glare of his wife, yet again. "We may look this afternoon, but I am not making any promises to buy anything. Your birthday is not far, perhaps that can be your gift."

Leo seemed chuffed with his answer. He and Scorpius high fived knowing damn well that they were both going to end up getting new brooms by the end of the day. Draco truly had no backbone when it came to his children.

Hermione didn't mind if he spoiled them. She adored the relationship he had with each individual child that they had claimed as their own. Their biological parents were either too young or had died tragically. Each of them came into the family under the age of one.

After they had devoured their lunches, Scorpius got up from his seat and sat Hermione's lap while everyone else ate their dessert. He might be seven, but she never denied his affection.

"Hello," she said, brushing his fringe away from his face. He had enormous bug eyes in the shade of green that were far more enchanting than Harry's. Whenever he looked at her she got lost in his beautiful gaze.

"Mummy, at school people were being mean about Daddy."

"Were they? What were they saying?"

"That he's scary cause he had a big scar on his face. But he's not scary. He doesn't yell like you do."

She couldn't help but laugh. "That's because Daddy is much more patient than me."

"But why does he have the scar on his face?"

"Well," Hermione rubbed her son's knee. "Do you remember all of those stories that your cousins told you about Uncle Harry slaying the bad guy? Well, your Daddy got his scar trying to help Uncle Harry. Someone didn't like that he was trying to help and tried to stop him by drawing a nasty cut on his face."

"Did it hurt?"

"Lots. That's why his hands shake sometimes. Next time at school if someone starts to tease you about Daddy's scar, tell them that he got it by beating up bad guys."

Scorpius' face lit up. From across the table, Draco was holding Aubrey helping to feed her some strawberries. He looked over to them and squinted his eyes in suspicion. Hermione winked at him.

They spent the rest of the afternoon (that Hermione took off work), and bought the remainder of Teddy's school requirements. A sensible owl was purchased as a pet in the end.

Later that night after they had tucked the children into bed, Hermione let Teddy stay up a little longer to read his book that he was determined to finish. The three of them sat in the living room with spines cracked and eyes peeled to the words on their pages.

Draco closed his book and massaged Hermione's feet that was much needed after their tortured run at lunch.

Teddy finished not long after, "NiNi, that was a terrible recommendation," he said, placing the novel on the coffee table.

"See, I tell you time and time again that you have an awful taste in storytelling, and yet you never believe me," Draco said.

Hermione's jaw fell, "Come on! That was a wonderful narrative. He gets the gold in the end."

"Yeah, after throwing away his mother's jewels. Where is the logic in that?"

"You don't need logic, you need a happy ending!" She kicked her husband and he faked how much it hurt.

Teddy laughed at his adoptive parents. His hair had stayed white for a few years now, only changing when he slept. It was obvious he did it to seem less like an orphan and more like a boy who hadn't been raised by his cousin. They didn't mind what colour he chose, he was theirs anyway.

Hermione sat up and leaned against her husband's side on the couch, "Have you thought any more about what house you want to be in?"

"Sort of. It's hard. How do you know which one is going to be best for you?"

"You don't really. Your father was in Gryffindor, as was I. Your mother was a Hufflepuff, the bravest one I'd ever known. Dad was a Slytherin, and aunt Cho is a Ravenclaw. Either way, whatever you choose, you're going to be okay."

Teddy sucked on his teeth, exhausted with the mental battle. Harry had told him this summer that the hat doesn't choose for you, you choose for the hat, and that has been playing on his mind ever since.

"Either way," Draco got up, not without tapping her knee first. "We'll love you all the same. Just don't fuck up your Qudditch trials next year. If you do, I'll send you to live with Potter."

"Merlin, no thanks. Aunt Ginny terrifies me."

"She terrifies us all, kid. Come on, off to bed. Big day tomorrow."

Teddy kissed Hermione goodnight and Draco took him to his room.

After turning all of the lights off and securing the wards, Hermione had a shower. When she came back to the bedroom, Draco was waiting with food spread across the mattress. A habit that they never chose to break.

She flopped onto the bed still wrapped in her towel, "I feel old," she said.

"We haven't even hit thirty, Granger."

"And I'm sending my son to Hogwarts tomorrow! He's growing up too fast, I can't keep up anymore."

Draco handed her a cucumber sandwich, "Well, there's one good thing that will come out of tomorrow."

"What's that?"

"You'll be the fittest mum at the station."

She laughed, "You're too good to me."

"So they say."

They ate their snacks until all that was left were wrappers to be put in the bin. Draco took his watch off and placed it on the nightstand, something Hermione gifted him on his twenty-first birthday. She still wore his old one. He removed his clothes and used his wand to send them downstairs to the laundry.

Hermione admired his physique that had only gotten better over time while she dressed into a nightgown. His thighs were her new favourite as of late. Especially in the white underwear he wore today.

"Keep staring at me like that and we'll wake the children up," he scorned, turning the bed down to slip in.

She hummed, joining him. "I'm sure we could silence the room."

"You're not sore from last night?"

"See now, questions like that make me feel old."

Draco pulled her into so that her face laid on his bare chest. "Even when we're old and grey, I'll still want to fuck you."

She ran traces over his scars. "You're such a romantic. You should try writing romance novels again."

"No, thank you. That one attempt was enough to turn me off for life. I'll stick to writing thrillers for the time being."

"Yes but having a novel dedicated to me would have sounded much nicer on a romance novel rather than a murder mystery."

He pinched her side, "That book bought this seven bedroom house. Appreciate it's brilliance."

"I do. Double the amount that you appreciate my Auror work."

She knew he didn't mind her being an Auror, she just liked to tease him for his worries. She was also sure that two of his books that had been published were based on real cases she had worked on in the past.

Draco's fingers mindlessly played with the missing chunk from her arm. On the back of his knuckles was a white scar from the time that they went to Australia. His split hand was nothing compared to the broken nose her father received.

"Have you spoken to your mother this week?" He asked.

"I rang her yesterday. Her and her newest boyfriend are going to Germany next week for a spontaneous holiday."

"Germany? Did you recommend the hotel we stayed at when we went?"

"I did. She made a joke about whether or not the staff were children friendly. I said that Teddy was more of a monster than a child that week. The staff deserved raises after our stay."

She rolled so that she lay on top of him. "What about you? Have you spoken to your mother this week?"

Draco rubbed her back, "I'd rather not think about our mothers right now."

"Oh really?" She played dumb, sitting up to sit on his crotch. "Why's that?"

Her hands ran up his chest as she bent to kiss him. His snuck up under the skirt of her gown. Her lack of knickers gave him full access.

They snogged like they were still teenagers and groped each other the same. Over the years they had gotten better and more confident with what the other person needed. Tonight, they both wanted to remember their youth.

Draco ripped her gown off and sucked on her nipples until she moaned so loudly that they realised they'd forgotten to silence the room.

Picking her wand up from the nightstand, Hermione quickly locked the door and cast the spell.

She dove back into the action with vengeance, kissing him from his mouth, all the way down to the waistband of his pants.

"Do you want me to make you wait for it?" She asked him.

Breathlessly he replied, "No. I want it now."

Hermione pulled down the band and slipped the underwear off his legs. She licked his length, feeding her addiction of hearing him hiss in pleasure. Her tongue swirled on the tip and then took him whole. Her cheeks hollowed with the force of her suck.

His hands scrunched at her hair as she switched between rhythms, determining which one he responded to more. She gripped his base and focused on the top, then let go completely and let her mouth work its magic. His body began to shake. She came back to the surface just to piss him off.

He tasted himself when he kissed her fiercely.

They flipped so that he was on top. Draco went to return the favour but Hermione kept him up with her.

"I need all of you," she gasped as he sucked on her neck. "Now."

He brought her leg over his hip and sank into her at a familiar, and yet still perfect, angle. They both groaned into each other's mouths. Her arms wrapped around his neck while he thrusted passionately. He was buried so deep inside her that Hermione had to remind herself to breathe.

"I'm so fucking in love with you," Draco grunted while his hips snapped.

"Oh my god," Hermione cried. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

They switched to their side and he held the back of her knee in his hand while fucking her as if there weren't children that could bang on the door at any minute.

"Right there," she sighed. "You're so good. Fuck, you're so good."

She bent her neck back to kiss him. With one arm under her ribs, he played with her nipple. It made her come so fast she didn't have time to tell him.

Draco kept going until he couldn't bear it anymore. He came with her name rolling off his tongue.

Sweating and puffed, they laid on the mattress splayed out on each other.

"Okay, I don't feel old anymore," said Hermione. "We couldn't go that hard even when we were nineteen."

Draco kissed her shoulder, "You and I are like fine wine, Mrs Malfoy. We improve with age."

Lifting up her left hand, Hermione played with the engagement ring on her finger. "We really should have a proper ceremony at some point in our lives."

"Eloping wasn't enough for you? Say the word and I'll organise it within the week."

She rolled onto her side and he copied. They laid facing each other. "How about for our ten year wedding anniversary we have a ceremony. I'll wear the pretty white dress and you can take it off me afterwards. Maybe even have Harry or Cho do a speech."

"That's two years away."

"We can wait. Save up and all that."

Draco smiled when he kissed her. "I'll write another book just for you."

"Romance?"

"Not a chance."

They talked for two more hours before falling asleep in each other's embrace.

The next day, their not so little family was standing at King's Cross station wishing Teddy goodbye. Harry and Ginny brought their three little ones, as did Dean and Cho with their twin boys.

Hermione hadn't stopped crying since they left the house.

"Will you write to me, Teddy?" Leo asked, his curly brown hair bouncing with him.

"Leo, you don't know how to read properly," said Scorpius.

"He can still write to me!"

Teddy bent in front of both boys, "I will write to you both. Every week. How does that sound?"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good," Teddy agreed. "No go hug NiNi, she's embarrassing me, I need you to distract her."

Draco clapped his son on the shoulder, "Mum is allowed to cry today. Go say goodbye to your aunts and uncles."

Teddy hugged their family friends goodbye and yelled at Harry when he messed up his hair. Hermione squished him with how tight she held him. He begged her to let him go.

The train whistle blew and it was time for him to board. With baby Aubrey in his hands, Draco walked Teddy to the entry, giving him a private talk as they went. A thing that they often did that Hermione adored with her entire being.

"He's definitely going to be in Ravenclaw," said Cho.

"I dunno," Dean chirped in. "He might throw a curveball and be a Slytherin."

"Definitely a Gryffindor," Harry and Ginny said in unison.

Hermione wiped her tears, "No, he's going to be Hufflepuff. He has Tonk's heart and far too much patience for his brothers."

Draco kissed Teddy on the forehead before he stepped onto the train. Aubrey tried to mirror the gesture.

"Is he okay?" Hermione asked as they returned to the group.

"He's alright. He just wished his real parents were here to see him go."

Teddy stuck his head out of a carriage window. His siblings screamed his name when they saw him. Draco took Hermione's hand into his own and interlocked their fingers.

"He'll be okay, baby," he told her.

"I know. I'm just going to miss having him around."

The train started to roll away. Everyone waved with smiles on their faces. Hermione knew Draco was faking his. He probably wanted to cry just as much as she was.

"Bye bye Teddy!" Aubrey called. "See you waiter!"

Soon, the train was in the distance, disappearing to a small speck along the landscape.

"Alright boys," said Draco. "Time to go home. Mummy has to go to work."

Leo began to whine but stopped when the Patronus of a hawk interrupted him. Everybody stood in anticipation for it's announcement.

"Mr and Mrs Malfoy. Come to St Mungos immediately. Miss Manfredi has given birth."

The Hawk flew away the same way that it came in.

Hermione's heart raced. "But Lucy wasn't due for another three weeks!"

Draco handed Aubrey over to Harry. "Potter, can you take the children?"

"Yes, yes. You must go."

They both kissed their children goodbye in a frantic hurry.

"Are they going to get the new baby?" Scorpius asked his uncle

"That they are. You know your parents, saving children, one teenage pregnancy at a time."

"My parents died on a boat."

Hermione held back her laugh at the bluntness of her son. Ginny, Cho and Dean wished them luck.

"Be good," Draco pointed at his boys, "No chasing gnomes unless you are supervised. Got that?"

Scorpius and Leo rolled their eyes, exactly how their father would. "Yes, Daddy."

"Ready?" asked Hermione, as she retook her husband's hand into her own. "We're about to have five children and we're not even thirty."

He snogged her in front of all their friends. Something she never tired of.

"Confession?" He said.

"Yes?"

"If it's another boy, I won't mind if you name this one after Weasley. Middle name only, though."

She smiled. Harry smiled too.

"If it's a girl," she said. "I think we should name her Andie."

"After my aunt?"

"After your aunt."

"Well then," Draco puffed his chest, "Let's go get our baby."

They apparated into the lobby of St Mungos, knowing automatically where the maternity ward was. Healers directed them to the right room.

Inside room 104, sat a young girl, Lucy, they had met a few times since she chose them as her baby's parents. In her arms was a beautiful baby, wrapped up in a white blanket, sleeping with their tiny fingers in their mouth.

Hermione fell in love at first sight.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said to Lucy. "How are you feeling?"

Lucy was only fifteen. She looked tired, and scared. Hermione had seen this look before, she could recognise that fear was leading up to guilty tears over abandonment.

"I'm tired," she said. "I was eating toast two hours ago and now I'm holding my baby. My parents are out getting tea."

Draco chuckled. Like a full on Dad chuckle. He sat on the edge of the bed and asked if he could hold the newborn. Lucy wasn't so sad anymore when she handed the baby over to him.

If there was an image that Hermione never got sick of seeing, it was when her husband met their children for the first time. He looked at them as if they were his own. There was no difference for him, and he never made her feel remorseful for not being able to provide him with their own children.

He loved them, and her, just the same.

"It's a girl," said Lucy. "Did you have any names picked out for a girl?"

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand, nodding. She joined Draco by the bed and looked at their newest daughter. She was blessed with her mother's Swedish heritage. Pale skin, she'll fit right in.

"What do you think?" Draco asked. "She's not much of a Ronald to me."

She let the baby wrap her small hand around her finger, "No, I don't think so either. She looks more like an Andie. Andromeda Scarlett Malfoy."

Draco stood and handed their daughter to Hermione. He kissed her shoulder as they both stared with loving eyes.

"That sounds perfect."

Hermione thanked Lucy for gifting them with such a beautiful baby girl. In return, she made them promise that they would let her visit. They said she was welcome anytime.

The Healers came back in to check on Lucy and wheeled her to get checked out in another room, leaving them alone with Andie. Hermione couldn't stop swooning over her rosy cheeks and blond hair. She imagined that this was what their biological child would have looked like.

"Scorpius is going to love her," Draco said. "Do you remember how much he wanted to be around Aubrey when she first came home?"

"I think Leo might be a little less jealous this time. He'll want to protect her like he does with his stuffed lions."

Hermione swung the sleeping baby back and forth in her arms. Draco standing behind. She looked up and he kissed her.

"I love you," he whispered to her.

She smiled into his lips. "I love you more."

THE END