Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the creator of the HP universe and its characters. I do not own anything except the rather strange plot bunny, and I solely profit in reviews.

Years Ago From Now: Chapter Eighteen

Hermione had been counting down to this day with zero effort. It was, globally, a more auspicious day in the magical community of her original timeline than any other in recent history save Halloween night. Afterall, without the birth of a savior no one could be saved. It was strange to consider the birth of your best friend to be "auspicious", but there was nothing to be done for it.

The last day of July in 1980 was hot and breezy. The surrounding communities were feverishly hoping that the wind would perhaps bring in some water for the strangely dry weather that had been occurring lately.

Hermione didn't know much of the current weather, though. She was holed up in the bedroom with Draco, nursing him and trying to rest. She had developed a bit of a cold and was unfortunate enough to be not be able to take the usual potions with her breast feeding.

She would periodically look toward the journal on her desk, wondering if she should even truly expect anything. Lily definitely would have other things on her mind, and she wasn't sure that Lily would even be alone long enough to tell her that Harry had arrived if she wanted to.

Of course, it was only logical that Harry would arrive safe enough. She had lived to know that any complications to being born a few weeks early would be negligible, and she had seen what a few potions could do to help a baby deal with coming a little early herself. Draco, at almost two months old, was starting to chunk up a bit, which could be attributed to the amount he liked to eat.

Healer Wynne had chuckled at the baby's high demand for milk and made a joke about him being a "growing boy". Hermione, on the other hand, was exhausted yet thrilled that she was able to give her not-so-small baby everything he needed.

Hermione stroked Draco's head, feeling the soft and sparse hair there with a smile. Her son must be the cutest baby to ever be born. It was an opinion matched, and shared quite vocally, by the baby's adoring father.

Lucius walked into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. "Have you heard anything?" he asked, curiously.

Hermione shook her head in response. "No, but I am not sure I should expect to hear anything. I don't know what time he was even born, just that it is sometime today."

Lucius sat down next to her, taking in the dark circles under his wife's eyes. "You look like you could use a nap."

Hermione shrugged as well as she could considering the child nestled in her arms. "I'm okay," she said.

She did, at least, have the benefit of getting as much sleep as she could hope for. If Draco woke up at night for a diaper change or any reason other than requiring food, Lucius was wonderful about getting up with the baby. She had woken several times in an uncomfortable state to realize that the bedroom and nursery were empty. She would walk down to the library to see Lucius talking out loud to the baby about how to set up the Potter's runic circle without issue.

"Any progress on the circle?" she asked, curiously. She knew that they had plenty of time still, and Lucius was working as best he could, but she was still eager to know that they could stop stressing over it.

"Not particularly. Have I mentioned how frustrating it is knowing that I, at least in part, might be responsible for creating a Runic Circle so powerful that it can take the power from the Killing Curse? No credit for the discovery of our generation…"

Hermione smirked, "We both know how much you like to take credit for your deeds."

Lucius rolled his eyes. "You know that, in my shoes, you would feel the same way."

Hermione nodded, serious. "You'll be able to get the credit later, I hope. I mean, I don't see why not. Especially considering that once we get you out of Azkaban, we will probably need that info to help fix our ruined reputations."

"Cissa, that is another twenty plus years from now."

Hermione smiled, though it was really a half grimace of commiseration. "I know, Lucius. I'm sorry."

He leaned over and kissed her softly. For a man knowing that he would have multiple stints in Azkaban that, he was handling his lot admirably.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, not to step on your toes because I know that you are the Rune expert here, I was thinking about it…"

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Well, there's no proof that I will be the one to figure it out. Go ahead."

Hermione took a breath. "Well, from what I've read in your notes, you are accounting for Lily getting him to the nursery and then are working from the stand point that Harry's crib, being inside of the circle, needs to be heaped under protection spells from a single point of malicious magic to a single person needing to be protected."

Lucius nodded to confirm her words.

Hermione cleared her throat, "What if… what if the crib wasn't the only thing covered. What if sacrifice truly is part of it? Make the circle larger, the size of the nursery practically, and account for… account for the sacrificial death of the mother. She's not just to get Harry to the circle, she's a …. More active part of it."

Lucius was silent as he stood there, pondering her words. "To involve a body, well… that would certainly darken it a bit. To play with life forces goes a bit into necromancy. Would Lily even be willing?"

Hermione looked at Draco and then at her husband with a raised brow as if to say obviously. "Well, it isn't like she is sacrificing someone else. She's sacrificing herself. Dumbledore actually theorized that it was her willingness to die that made whatever it was work. They just didn't know about the runes, as best I know.

Lucius nodded, squinting slightly as he thought on it. "Blood would have to be spilled. That wouldn't be an issue. It would need to be much. You said he simply strikes her down, right?"

Hermione winced at the clinical way he talked about Lily's coming death. "Yes."

He nodded, embracing full academic mode. "She would carry a knife on her. Get to the room first and cut herself just enough that blood is on the floor inside the circle. The timing would be quick so the blood would be warm, that's necessary. Then… with her invoking being willing to die in Harry's place…. And the trap to keep the Dark Lord…"

His eyes opened wide, and he leaned in, kissing her passionately. "Merlin, woman, you are a bloody genius. The whole room… I have to go work on this!"

And so he did.

Three days later, Hermione received a short message in her journal.

He's here. Want to meet him? The order has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday the 5th. I have begged off to "recover" but James is going, so I will be alone. Please come. I'll send instructions and confirm it's a go just beforehand. Six thirty."

Two days later, Hermione walked into Lucius's office holding the silver spoon in one hand and Draco bundled up against her in a swaddling blanket. Her husband looked up from his papers and nodded, quickly putting the papers into his desk and setting the wards to prevent people looking inside. "We are ready?"

"Yes. She said James left a little early. How's the research?"

Lucius walked toward her, dropping a kiss on her cheek as he took hold on the other end of the spoon. "Good. I think within a few weeks I will have everything ready to be given to her. The runes to make sure that the Dark Lord doesn't notice them are the hardest bit. It's a lot of strong magic to walk into and not feel it immediately. That's one reason why I had assumed for the circle to only protect the approximation of the crib. The larger the circle, the more obvious. I'll get there."

Hermione nodded, "Good. Okay, so, Lily said we will have to floo to a pub in magical Edinburgh. The house is a walk away from it. She said James left early, so we are free to leave now once we disguise ourselves a bit."

Lucius groaned. "I hate the feel of glamours. Greasy."

Hermione sighed and nodded. "Not for long, though. Just long enough to get near the safehouse Lily is in. I think Draco will be fine covered up like this, but we both look a bit too… distinctive to be in even a small magical setting that near to them. You can do me first if you like."

Lucius seemed to find the idea appealing as he pulled his wand and aimed it at her. "Any requests?"

"Caster's choice," she said, willing to let him have his amusement.

A moment later, a rather unfortunate looking woman was stood in Hermione's place. Unkempt dirty blonde hair that had obviously been badly cut into a short, uneven bob wrapped around a too round face and bulging brown eyes. The nose seemed to be in homage to Severus Snape. Hermione caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror to the side of the room and rolled her eyes as the reflection pulled away with a gasp and look of horror.

Hermione pulled her own wand, attempting to ignore the feeling of a thick layer of oil coating her skin. The magical residue of heavy glamours was one reason they were not more widely used. It was almost intolerable.

She cast her attention and wand upon Lucius, watching as he transformed into a non-descript brunette man with dull blue eyes and a deep tan. Lucius sighed, seemingly disappointed that she hadn't returned the favor before transfiguring his clothes into a cheap looking muggle suit. Hermione had already been prepared in a simple black skirt and a dark blue jumper.

Minutes later, the uninteresting couple walked out of the floo in the Raving Cyclops with Draco in arms and bundled up to his father's chest. They left the pub, having garnered no real attention, and into muggle Edinburgh, taking a left onto Dalrymple Crescent and walking straight by the fourth house on the left, seeing that the large bay window was open. Fifteen minutes later, they walked back by to see that the window was closed and quickly approached the front door of the rather impressive old house that stood there.

The door opened before they got there, and Lily quickly held open the door for them, allowing them entrance.

"Sorry about that. Professor McGonagall needed to pick some things up, but she is gone now."

Hermione felt Lucius remove the glamor charm and sighed with relief, feeling clean once more. She looked around, curiously, taking note of the numerous tartan things in the familiar pattern Professor McGonagall tended to wear. "This is her house?"

Lily nodded. "It is. She went back to Hogwarts a week earlier than she had planned and agreed to have us stay here. It's a lovely place."

Draco started to fuss, tiring of being wrapped in the blankets, and Lucius expertly unwrapped him, throwing the blanket over his shoulder and allowing Draco to come into full view.

"My! He's grown so much even in the past month!" Lily exclaimed, smiling at the baby.

Hermione smiled proudly at her son, nodding. "Yes. He's a voracious eater…. Where…. Where's Harry?" she asked, expression changing to curiosity as she looked at the otherwise unoccupied living room.

Lily smiled excitedly, "I'll get him. Just wait here." The redhead walked up the stairs and around the corner, as Hermione and Lucius settled on the couch with their son.

Moments later, Lily came down the stairs, holding a tiny baby with an alarming amount of thick black hair.

"Merlin! Is he wearing a wig?" Lucius joked, looking at the baby as Lily handed him to Hermione.

Hermione couldn't seem to speak. The strangeness of the moment coming over her quickly. She was holding in her arms the best friend she had ever had, less than a week after he'd been born. Her fingers drifted over his cheeks, the skin color several shades darker than Draco's already, and the baby opened his eyes. She gasped. Slightly unfocused eyes looked at her, regarding the person holding him.

"I expected them to be green," she whispered, looking at the newborn colored eyes that matched Draco's perfectly.

"Well, if they are green, he might have to grow into that," Lily said, logically.

She had to admit that part of her had expected her best friend's eyes to already be there, vividly green and curious. Currently, there was no hint of green at all.

She shook off her thought as the baby yawned, causing her to smile widely. "This is wild," she said, grabbing the baby's tiny hand. She laid the baby on her legs, his feet up against her stomach and his head up near her knees in front of her. Lucius mimicked the pose with Draco, sitting leg to leg to that the babies were next to each other.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Potter," Lucius said, looking up at Lily where she had sat across from them in a high-backed chair in green corduroy.

Lily smiled her thanks, "Thank you. Again, it's Lily. And thank you for bringing Draco. Harry's first play mate. I am sure they will be great friends."

Hermione barked a laugh at the thought, slightly startling Draco, who started to cry. As he calmed down, she looked at Lily with a smirk. "Oh, Lily, they will absolutely hate each other. At least as far as I know. Draco will be a… difficult person for a while. We hope that he will grow to eventually be a great man, though. Perhaps friendship will come for them… later."

Lucius, calming Draco now, spoke up, "I am near finishing the circle, Lily. There is one thing I must confirm though, or I will have to see if I can manage another way."

Lily nodded, encouraging him to continue.

Lucius took a breath. "We've determined that blood and life force are the best and perhaps only way to get this done. Your sacrifice will be paramount."

Lily frowned but nodded once more. "I'm willing to do what I must for my son, Lucius. Just as you would, right?"

"Of course. I simply say this to forewarn you that when playing with these forces, it tends to get a bit dark. You will be required to spill some blood, not much, and know that you are playing a bit with necromancy, using the life force of the… newly dead…"

"Me. Using my life force," she interrupted, briskly.

"Yes. Using your life force and transferring it to Harry. He will be a… conduit for what makes you, you. This will likely affect him in unknown ways."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "What ways are possible? Negative?"

Hermione listened on as Lucius explained, looking at Harry all the while. "Appearance would be the most noticeable. He will inherit more of your traits when it happens. Magically, it would be less noticeable as it isn't like he is a grown wizard that has grown accustomed to his magic and talents within it. He'll inherit more of your talents and some of your power. It won't be a ton, but it will be a boost to his core. There will also be some sort of mark on his body."

"Like a birthmark?"

"If there were not violence associated with the act, yes. A birthmark, a series of freckles…something to indicate that the success of the rite in a tangible way, proving your love and sacrifice for him was not something naturally wrought. Considering the mark will be made just before he is attacked… I am not sure what will happen to the mark. Perhaps it will nullify it entirely."

Hermione's eyes lit up. "That explains it all," she said.

The other two looked at her, and Hermione looked at Harry, tracing an imaginary lightning bolt on his forehead.

"My Harry is left with a cursed scar that night. I always thought it was interesting because it was shaped just like Sowilo. A rune of success and light caused by a Killing Curse; it seemed contradictory. What if the killing curse just affects the mark, making it into a scar?"

Lucius was thoughtful before nodding, "It sounds very plausible."

Hermione smiled, triumphantly. "As for traits. His eyes. Harry's eyes will be a vibrant green when I know him, perhaps even a touch more than yours. And talents… well, when we were thirteen, he cast a Patronus. At fourteen, he summoned his broom from his bed in Gryffindor Tower to himself far away on the grounds. Just his broom. Not the nearest, the specific one he chose. He is very talented in charms… something I believe you favor as well?"

Lily nodded, looking pleased with this information. "Anything else?"

Hermione looked at the baby closely and shrugged. "I honestly think he might be darker now than he was when I met him. Could be just how he lived, but I think his skin will be fairer, more like yours and less like James' olive undertones."

"Will it be suspicious? Him changing so suddenly?" she asked, reaching to run a hand over her son's soft black hair. It still had the silky sheen of a newborn's hair, looking a bit wet and stuck to his head.

Hermione shook her head, wiggling the finger that Harry had grasped onto. "With the stress of the night? I don't think so. It's dark and people are in shock with everything… I doubt it will be noticed at all, and it didn't seem to be mentioned when we were growing up."

Draco flailed his arms outward then, hitting Harry in the face with his chubby fist and causing the smaller child to start crying. Lucius grimaced, pulling Draco to his chest as Hermione did the same with Harry, soothing him with a small "whoosh" noise that seemed to settle Draco. The baby quickly calmed as Lily looked on, smiling.

"I'm happy he has such a loyal friend," Lily said, quietly. "Even better that, with time, two of you will be looking out for him…. And Lucius, of course." The last was said with a quick glance to Lucius, a look of thankfulness present in the new mother's eyes.

Lucius nodded, "I'll do so to the best of my ability."

Hermione put a hand on Lucius's shoulder. "Yes. I am afraid he will not regard us as friends for a long time. Perhaps he never will."

Lily nodded, understanding. "Yes. I am sure that is true. I'm sure one day he will be aware of the sacrifices that were made… not just for him but for everyone. Hold on just a moment."

She walked into a neighboring room and returned a few moments later with a small wooden box in hand, as well as a camera.

"I actually am hoping to help pave the way for the two of you eventually being able to be free. I know that I cannot give anything away or it would change something I might not wish it too…. If I am capable of changing things at all. If that's the case, I suppose I am meant to do whatever I do, right?"

Hermione shrugged and nodded. "As far as I know, yes. You could debate doing something different, but whatever you do should keep us on the same ultimate path regardless."

Lily frowned, raising the camera. "I can imagine that the future will be very bleak at points, especially for the two of you. I know, however, that eventually you will enter into uncharted territories. When will that be?"

"Right before Narcissa sent me back here, I suppose," Hermione said.

She heard Lucius clear her throat. "Just before you sent you back here, to be accurate."

"I want to take photos of us. Of you both with me, with Harry. A few of the two boys together. I have worked out how to lock this box until a specific date where it can only be opened by Harry himself after I shut it. I intend to enclose a letter stating the basics of the truth. I don't know if you will ever decide to tell people who you truly are, but… The Malfoy Family should have a chance to be free of all their masters. The photos and a letter locked up in my vault. Harry will find it, or you can even tell him it will be there, in my personal vault."

Hermione smiled at the witch, feeling a bit of weight falling away at the offer. "That would be most appreciated."

"What shall I write?"

Lucius cleared his throat. "We are both extremely thankful… I request that you not tell us what you write, and we not guide you. Harry will want something authentic from his mother, and I would not want any of it to sound coerced or as if someone were directing your thoughts."

Hermione nodded. "May I look at the box more closely? That way, I can tell Harry what to look for when the time comes."

Lily handed over the simple wooden box. As far as Hermione could see, there were no enchantments on it yet. She smiled. "I don't know yet what I will do regarding my identity. But… may I put an inscription inside?"

Lily nodded, taking Harry into her own arms so Hermione could maneuver both of her hands. She opened the lid of the box and aimed her wand at an inside corner. She paused, thinking of what to engrave into the wood. Finally, she smiled and words started to etch themselves into one of the wooden outside borders, tucked almost without notice into a corner. One would have to look very carefully at the box itself to even see the words, and people didn't tend to look at packaging when faced with its contents. Despite it being the darkest of times, I'll always treasure dancing in the Forest of Dean with you. HG/NM

It was a moment she knew Harry would remember fondly, and one that was shared just between the two of them. Leaning on and laughing with each other when they both just wanted to hide away from their realities. She handed the box back to Lily and cleared her throat. "Photographs, then? I do requests copies, please… for me to have personally."

So it was that the next thirty minutes, the small Malfoy family and two thirds of the Potters had a photo session together. When Lily had deemed enough had been taken, she carefully took the camera and box into her room. She came out just as Harry began to fuss in Lucius's arms.

Lily smiled at the boy, taking him from Lucius. "He's probably getting hungry," she said. "I'll be finishing the box tomorrow and will have it put in my vault as soon as possible." She glanced at the clock on the mantle worriedly.

Hermione nodded. "I think it is best we leave. James and others could come back at any time," she said. She handed Draco to Lucius and reached out to hug Lily, her hand running over Harry's side as she did so. He seemed to calm for a minute as she stopped to glance down at the baby.

"I don't know when I will see you next, but… I look forwarding to you eventually seeing me, Harry. I love you," she leaned down and kissed the baby and looked at Lily.

The realization that she very likely might not see Lily again caused her heart to clench painfully. "I… I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Lily shook her head, looking a bit teary herself. "You've done more than I could have ever dreamed already. I… I am ready to face fate. Or, I will be. He will be okay and one day… well, one day you can tell him that I knew… that I planned… When he is a father, I think he will fully understand it."

Hermione nodded, "He will. And… he will always love you. I never… I never heard any sort of resentment or…"

Lily smiled, looking down at her baby. "He will be a good man."

Hermione reached a hand out to squeeze the red head's arm. "Yes, Lily. One of the best."

"You should go," Lily said, voice thick with emotion. And with a few solemn nods, they did.

Author's Note: Lily was and never will be a major part of this story. She serves her part, but this is about the Malfoys. She will still have a few moments, but they will be minimal. I hope you are enjoying everything so far. I am finally into post-first wizarding war, but it is early days yet.

Thank you for all of your very sweet reviews. It's so much easier to write when I know you are excited to read! I've finished Halloween night and am working on the aftermath now. Still a few spots of fuzziness, but I think I've got the timeline as close to what I think canon intended as can be.