"But he's going to break it!"
"He's not going to break it, Rose. Just give it to him!"
"But mum!"
"Rose, I mean it!"
Even from outside Hermione and Ron could hear Rose's disgruntled response and Lavender giving her the ultimatum of handing over the toy or no desert after dinner. The little girl had never been the stingy type, but when your three-year-old brother breaks your favorite toy just once it's a complete game changer.
Hermione was highly amused as she watched Ron stand by the back door with his ear pressed against it and sighing once he had heard a happy outcome.
"Do you always hide away when your kids are arguing?" Hermione laughed.
"Hugo's too young to argue properly. He just screams," Ron shivered.
"You'll miss the fighting when Rose goes to Hogwarts."
"Mum didn't when it was just Ginny in the house," Ron grinned. "Why would I?"
"You know good and well your mother loved it when all of you were home," Hermione countered. "Add Harry and I to the mix and it was a never ending festive occasion."
Ron smiled at the memory as he moved to sit down next to her. They were out on the porch and enjoying the unusually warm weather for early November.
"Lavender wants another one."
"Do you?"
"I don't know yet," Ron answered honestly. "You grow up in a family as big as mine and you kind of want to test out what it's like to have a small one."
Hermione nodded in understanding and rubbed a hand over her stomach. Her little one was busy today and giving her legs quite the workout. "Small, big, it doesn't matter. A family is what you make it. Although, you and Lavender should probably talk before you both get an accidental third kid."
Ron chuckled. "Like both my best friends you mean?"
"Precisely," Hermione beamed. "Although, this was more luck than accidental."
Ron frowned slightly. He knew just how much luck was involved in Hermione's third baby. Luck, tears, heavy depression… It hadn't been an easy road for the Malfoys where children were involved. That curse, despite that Harlow fellow's help, was still a nuisance to Hermione. She and Draco hadn't been actively trying to have another child what with two rambunctious boys the same age running about. But Hermione did, indeed, get pregnant again, and the curse had rattled her cage quite early in her pregnancy that time and, unfortunately a miscarriage ensued. That had been about four years ago, and the thought of it haunted the couple.
Ron anxiously played with his sleeves. "Are you still going to go through with the tube thing?"
Hermione bit her lip and nodded. "Draco and I love children. You know we do. But we've have had enough trauma in our lives to last a dozen lifetimes. Some peace of mind would be nice. If we decide we want another child in the future, we can adopt."
"That's fair," Ron smiled gently. "If my kids start giving me and Lav migraines you can adopt one of them."
Hermione laughed. It was loud and strong, but it stopped suddenly when she felt pain stronger than a kidney shot. Ron noticed her facial reaction and put a hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"...Pain, just… Ugh!"
Hermione couldn't help it that time around and she grabbed Ron's hand immediately as what felt like intense menstrual cramps wracked her lower abdomen.
She closed her eyes and felt tears spring. "Not again," she whispered to herself. "Please, please, not again."
"Lavender!" Ron shouted. "Lavender!"
Lavender came to the backdoor, her hands messy from making dinner, and paused once she saw the panic written on both Ron's and Hermione's faces.
"Take her to St. Mungo's. I'll reach out to Draco," Lavender said as she pulled out her wand. Ron wasted no time in fishing out Hermione's portkey that she kept on her and whisking them away to St. Mungo's while Lavender's Patronus soared through the air.
Draco was bored out of his mind. Normally he would feign interest, but seeing as his boss and the conductor of this meeting was Harry, he didn't bother. After all these years in his company, the spectacled man knew when Draco was genuinely intrigued by something. Putting in an effort for otherwise would be a waste of energy.
All the division Heads were here. It was a meeting (after normal work hours of all things) to discuss currently implemented procedures when on site in an active danger zone, what worked, what didn't, and what could possibly be changed. Granted this was important, but Draco was moments away from snoring.
However, he was bolted right awake when a Patronus in the shape of a cat came through the wall and landed neatly on the table in front of Draco.
"Draco," Lavender's voice echoed. "Ron took Hermione to St. Mungo's. She's in labor."
Draco's heart fell and he locked eyes with Harry once before getting up and fleeing the conference room.
"The meeting is rescheduled," Harry announced before following Draco out. He found the closest room with a fireplace and saw the remnants of green flames. Moments later Harry was Flooing into St. Mungo's and he saw Draco being led down the hall by a Healer. Even as a retreating form the man looked a mess. Harry sighed and sent his own set of Patronuses before sitting down and waiting for the influx of concerned family and friends.
As for one of those friends, Ron met Draco at the end of the hall where the Healer took him.
"I'll tell Healer Hasbrook and Dr. Lonnegan that you're here," the Healer said as she headed inside the room both men were outside of.
Draco took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face before addressing Ron.
"Did she…? Was there…?"
"There was no blood, no," Ron told him. "Just pain."
"That's good, right? It has to be, right?" Draco asked. No, pleaded was more like it. What was terrible was that Ron didn't know the right answer to tell him. This man had more than his fair share of bad luck and unfortunate circumstances than one person should endure.
"Draco," a new, yet familiar voice joined them.
"Dr. Lonnegan," Draco grimly greeted. "How is she? The baby? Are they both going to be okay? Is there-?"
"Breathe," Dr. Lonnegan instructed. "You're going to pass out if you don't. The good news is that things aren't nearly as dire as before. Hermione's water hasn't broken yet, but she is dilating. There's a possibility that we can do this the natural way time. Regardless, we'll keep a close watch on her and the moment we see any distress on the baby's part we'll go straight for the c-section. Alright?"
Draco swallowed, still completely terrified, but nodded anyway. "Can I see Hermione?"
"Of course you can," Dr. Lonnegan said and opened the door for him. Draco went inside to see Healer Hasbrook speaking gently to the anxiety-stricken brunette. When they both realized that Draco was there, Healer Hasbrook graciously relinquished his time and patted the blond on the shoulder before leaving.
Hermione looked ready to shed a million tears.
"At least you're further along than with Caelum?" Draco offered as a weak attempt at making her smile. She did do it, although briefly, and let some of those tears flow.
"What if she doesn't…?"
"We're not going to think like that."
"But-?"
"You heard me," Draco playfully admonished. He wiped her tears away with his fingers and brushed her hair behind her ears. "You might not even have to do surgery this time. Did Healer Hasbrook tell you that?"
"He did," Hermione nodded. "I don't know what I'm more afraid of. Surgery or having to push our daughter out of a small exit."
Draco laughed. "They can put a Numbing Charm on you, you know."
"A Numbing Charm will not cut it," Hermione scoffed. She closed her eyes as contractions came again and grit her teeth.
Draco's hand was in hers and she squeezed it until it had no life left. He wouldn't dare complain that he couldn't feel his fingers or make a wisecrack that she'd break a bone if she kept this up. He was hers to abuse at this point and he let her for hours.
Within those hours it had grown completely dark outside. Healer Hasbrook and Dr. Lonnegan broke Hermione's water for her. She dilated more. The baby was becoming increasingly distressed and talks of a c-section was swimming in the air. Hermione was beside herself with crying, stress, fear, not to mention exhaustion. By the time it hit midnight all hell was set loose.
The baby's heart rate dropped. Hermione complained that she couldn't breathe. Draco was rushed out of the room. Actually, forced was more like it because he didn't want to leave. Healer Hasbrook had to draw his wand on him for that to happen, and now Draco stood outside of his wife's room, filled with anger and desperation.
Draco could feel his body breaking down. With every second of the unknown his brain was spinning its own scenarios built to torment him. It didn't matter what his friends were saying, if they were really by his side at all or if it was just his imagination. He felt someone at his back. Was a hand there? Was someone trying to pull him away from the spell-locked door? Maybe.
But Draco didn't budge. He stayed right where he was, clawing at the door as though that would make a difference.
"Don't let them die. Don't let them die," Draco repeated without fail. He didn't know if it counted as a prayer or not, but he needed someone, anyone to hear and help him.
"Did I ever tell you that Hermione was an early baby too?"
Draco looked over to his right. His father-in-law was sitting on the floor next to him outside of Hermione's room. It had been close to two hours now since Draco had been barred from the room if he had to venture a guess. He refused to actually look at the time unless he wanted to cause greater anxiety to himself.
"No, you didn't."
"Right well, it had been utter pandemonium," Mr. Granger recalled with an awkward grin on his face. "The Mrs. and I had been travelling, you see. She'd been five months along, just about six, and we wanted to get in one last bit of travel before she hit the third trimester. Big mistake. We had just boarded a plane to head to the States for a two week trip. She had some stomach upset, but we weren't thinking anything of it. She was only five months for goodness sake. Lo and behold her water breaks right after takeoff. You should've seen my face when she told me. I swear my soul left my body in that instant."
"Holy hell," Draco breathed. "You don't mean to tell me that you had Hermione on a plane, do you?"
"No, thank God. But can you just imagine the panic and chaos? Alerting the crew, waiting for the pilot to swing back around and land, getting my wife off the plane and into an ambulance on the tarmac, all the while trying to keep her calm while I'm damn near losing my mind."
Draco frowned and let his eyes look up at the door he'd been sitting by. "Yeah, I can imagine. But it turned out okay though."
"Yes, it did," Mr. Granger smiled. "To quote my wife's doctor, Hermione was a fighter. And you know what? She still is. She's been through...so much in her life. She'll get through this too."
Draco found himself mimicking his father-in-law's smile. Yes, Hermione was a fighter. She never gave up anything and gave her one hundred percent towards every goal she had in mind. It was that thought that the blond clung to as he continued to sit and to wait for any news. In the meanwhile Blaise fed him with random pastries that could have only come from his own house. Hospital food wasn't that great. He also got a Patronus from Andromeda who was keeping Narcissa company as she watched the boys. Apparently they had woken from sleep, wondering if "mum was okay." Draco did his best not to sound worried or choked up as he gave a reply directly to Aiden and Caelum, saying that everything was fine, that it was okay to go back to sleep, and that they'd be home soon.
Eventually the exhaustion of the past innumerable couple of hours began to weigh on him. Draco found himself nodding off. He wasn't sure how long he was asleep for, but he became aware of someone shaking him awake, and all sleepiness was wiped from him when he realized that it was Dr. Lonnegan.
"I think your daughter would like to say hello."
Lydia, who had been among many to take Mr. Granger's spot next to Draco, squealed in delight as she hugged her friend.
"A girl! The baby is a girl!" Lydia gleefully exclaimed, squeezing the life out of him in the process. She then pulled back and said, "What are you still doing on the floor? Go! Go!"
Draco laughed as he finally got up. "Tell the others, will you?"
Dr. Lonnegan held the door open for Draco and he walked in, spotting Hermione first, obviously physically drained, but all smiles and happy tears. Next to her, in her own little crib, was his daughter, swaddled in blankets, wide-eyed, and energetic despite the time. Nearly five in the morning, to be precise.
"There's no wiring this time," Draco noted as he stood next to her. Healer Hasbrook, standing next to Hermione on the other side of the bed, shook his head.
"Your daughter is a strong one, she is," Healer Hasbrook replied happily. "We spent a good amount of time checking her health. Despite being born early and that curse, she's fine."
She's fine.
Those words were music to Draco's ears and he could feel tears coming. Both Healer and Doctor discretely left the room and let the parents be. When they were gone those tears were finally let free.
"Those Malfoy genes are inescapable, aren't they?" Hermione joked.
"I don't know," Draco grinned. "Her hair is curly at the very least. That's got to count for something, right?"
Hermione yawned and chuckled. "If you say so. But if we opt for a fourth kid I vote no blonds."
Draco shook his head. "Don't listen to your mum, Nysa. There's nothing wrong with blonds."
"Nysa," Hermione repeated. "Nysa Cassiopea Malfoy. It feels good to say that name out loud."
Draco nodded, fully understanding it for the dual reasoning that it was. The first for the very fact that after a near nine months their daughter was finally here. The second was for her middle name, an homage to the daughter that they had lost four years prior.
"Two boys and a girl," Draco mused as he set up a chair in between Hermione's bed and Nysa's crib. He pulled the crib closer to them, having no desire to have their newborn too far, even if it was just one or two feet. He looked over at Hermione and took her hand. "I think our shot at having a quiet house is gone."
"Are you kidding?" Hermione snorted. "We never had a shot. Besides, I like the noise."
The noise. Boys running up and down the halls playing with their toys, asking a million questions a day. Add now an infant daughter to the mix who was bound to cry at all hours of the day and night when she was hungry, fussy, needed a diaper change, or just attention. Draco could imagine now Nysa at two, the boys ten, and her awkwardly running after them because she wants to play. Yes, the noise. He quite liked it too.
February 18th, 2012
"You would think by now these guards would know that I have no intentions of breaking my husband out," Narcissa angrily mused aloud as she handed her wand over. The guard taking it shot one look at Harry, but he shook his head to keep him from doing anything rash.
The elder Mrs. Malfoy hated going through these security measures to see her husband as much as her son did, but she was much more vocal about it. Eventually they made it through each one, and Harry stood outside of the room Narcissa walked into so that she could spend her regularly allotted time with the man she, somehow, still loved.
"Cissa," Lucius greeted with a wide smile.
Narcissa stood near the door as usual to await her husband's rise from his seat. She didn't know how he did it, but somehow he always looked well-kept despite being imprisoned. Combed hair as best as he could manage. A turned down collar. An odd, yet still attractive musk most likely mixed from naturally growing fauna. She chuckled inwardly. There were many tricks of the trade to survive in Azkaban.
"Lucius," Narcissa replied as he reached her. A swift, yet meaningful kiss was had before he took her hand, making it feel warm in this dismal place. It was moments like this, no matter how small, that she realized how much she missed her husband.
"You grow younger every month I see you," Lucius complimented as he guided her to her chair.
"Now, now, there's no need to flatter me. Besides, I've unfortunately sprouted a few new greys that are the bane of my existence."
"Ah, ah, ah, there's a difference between grey and the Malfoy blond."
Narcissa smiled. "Of course. Now, I've brought a fresh journal at your request," she added as she placed the leather-bound book on the table. "Honestly, love, I have no idea how you run through them so quickly."
"The grey walls are less entertaining these days," Lucius replied with a cheeky smile. Narcissa tutted at him, but her cheeks also flushed. A deep throaty laugh erupted from him at that, but she cleared her throat to ignore it as she fished out one last thing from her purse.
"I've also brought this." She pushed a moving photograph towards him and Lucius picked it up. It was of a baby, not a newborn precisely, but obviously not long into this world. Three months at best. "Isn't she lovely?" Narcissa added, hope lacing her voice much more than she wished. "Her name is Nysa."
Lucius continued to stare at the infant smiling toothlessly with her light, curly blond hair and grey eyes. "She looks like you."
"You think so? She's more of a cross between Draco and Hermione to me."
Lucius scoffed and let the photograph fall to the table. Narcissa sighed and retrieved it.
"Really, Lucius, you're going to have to get over the fact that Draco married her."
"It will take another twenty years in here for that to happen," Lucius huffed. "And even then I sincerely doubt it."
"Don't say such things," Narcissa scolded. "Your parole hearing is closer than it used to be and we don't need such negative energy in the air."
Lucius frowned. Seven years… In seven years he was eligible for parole. Even though that was still a long time, it was easier to think about than when he was first sentenced some twelve years ago. He took a deep breath and let his shoulders slump.
"Do you really think that I will be released?"
"I hope so. And if you are," Narcissa began sternly, "you must put forth an effort to be civil with Hermione and love your grandchildren. I won't accept anything less and neither will Draco."
Lucius grumbled to himself and crossed his arms over his chest. He felt like he was being talked down to like a child. His wife's cold stare wasn't helping.
"Why doesn't it bother you?" Lucius asked weakly. Narcissa sighed and leaned back in her seat.
"We've discussed this. Hermione makes Draco happy. Nothing else matters."
"That's not what I meant." Lucius uncharacteristically ran a hand through his hair, although it very much reminded Narcissa of her son when he was upset or defeated. And her son's father did, indeed, seem as such as he leaned forward and continued, "Why doesn't it bother you that everything we worked for has been taken away?"
Narcissa's face softened. She reached for her husband's hands which he graciously gave and squeezed them.
"The future is never promised, Lucius. And when you don't get what you want, you learn and adapt. The life that's waiting for you outside of these walls isn't bad."
"The life waiting outside of these walls is one that I didn't ask for."
Narcissa couldn't help it. She laughed. A soft one. A grim one. But a laugh nonetheless.
"Like father, like son," she concluded. "Draco feels the same about his life. His youth, at the very least."
Lucius inclined his head. "Karma at work then, yes?"
Narcissa resisted an unladylike shrug. "Perhaps,"
Author's note: I hope this tugged at some feels for some of you. Despite babies happening (yey!) I'm intrigued by dear ole Lucius :)
Replies to guests
Guest: Thank you! Glad you thought so :)
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E.S.: Oh good! I'm sure Draco felt some good relief too :D