December 19th, 2018

"And you wanted more children," Ron shook his head. Lavender laughed.

They had a full house this evening and it wasn't even going to be for one day. No, they were playing host to the Malfoy children through Saturday while their parents were on vacation. Well, "sent away" was more like it. Narcissa had determined that Draco and Hermione needed a break and a chance to celebrate their upcoming anniversary in peace and so she had booked their favorite hotel in Chamonix, France for four days. Ron's name had come up in the babysitting rotation pool, and so he had five kids under his watch. Regardless, it was still a better scenario than Harry when he had three of his own.

"That's not fair!" Nysa yelled.

"Yes, it is!" Hugo argued. "The rules say that I can play a smoking stump card if an ice card is facing up."

"But it was on top of a fireplace and…Rose? What was that rule again?"

"Any ice card on a fire card will melt it, making it a water card,, and no fire-related card can be placed on a water card," Rose answered smartly. Hugo groaned and grabbed his card back.

"I hate this game," Hugo grumbled. Rose laughed and ruffled her brother's hair.

"Don't be grumpy."

That didn't stop him from continuously mumbling under his breath as he tried to figure out what card he could play next. Ron chuckled to himself and continued to watch from where he sat, the kitchen counter which gave a perfect view of the living room where the game was being played. Lavender had gone to spectate from up close, Rose and Caelum were playing referee and scorekeeper, while Aiden had just come into the kitchen and sat down next him.

"Hey, Uncle Ron, can I ask your opinion on something?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"Well, it's, um….about a girl," Aiden replied bashfully. "I'd ask dad, but he'll only end up mentioning it to mum and I don't want her to get too excited."

"Too excited?" Ron repeated. His curiosity was extremely piqued now and he gently urged him. "Who's the girl?"

"My friend Anna," he admitted. "Mum got close to hers again after they moved back to England, as you know. I just don't want her to get her hopes up."

"Hers? You mean mine," Ron laughed. "Having your dad in close proximity to Anna's mum is the best thing that could ever happen. I can just imagine the possibilities Wrackspurts and all… Tell me, though. What's the problem exactly?"

"Because Anna's my friend. My best friend since my first day of classes at Hogwarts. I've been running through all the scenarios of how terribly this could end if I tell her I like her and they're bloody nightmares. Sorry," Aiden added for the swear. "I just don't want to lose her as a friend."

"I've got to admit that's a tough decision," Ron told him. "Reminds me of myself. I liked a friend of mine once. Loved her, actually."

"Did you tell her that?"

"I did. We dated for a while too, but it didn't work out."

"You see? That's what I don't want," Aiden grumbled miserably. "We go out, it ends up awful, and we stop being friends."

"I didn't say that we stopped being friends," Ron said happily. "We were, and still are, very good friends even with what happened between us."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he grinned broadly. "In the end she married your dad and made me godfather to all of her kids."

Aiden's mouth dropped. "Oh," he slowly replied, his cheeks reddening with complete embarrassment. "Well, that's incredibly awkward."

Ron laughed. "I'm surprised you didn't already know that. You've read history books on us."

"Yeah, well, they didn't go very deep into your love life lives," he anxiously replied as his face took on a deeper shade of red than it already was. "Now I have know how you dealt with that."

"It wasn't easy at first, I can tell you that. But, once your best friend always your best friend. Ultimately, what she wanted mattered more, and I'm not the least bit bitter about it."

Aiden sighed and hung his head down. "You're telling me to go for it no matter what, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am. If it works, then great. If not, at least you don't have to wonder 'what if.' Don't be scared, alright?"

"Okay."

February 23rd, 2019

Draco was a proud father, uncle, and godfather all in one as he sat in the stands with other parents and professors. It was favoritism at its finest that he, Hermione, Nysa, his mother, and the rest of the precious lot were sitting by Headmistress McGonagall.

"I hate this," Hermione whimpered as she watched the Quidditch match. Draco chuckled as he leaned into his wife.

"What? The violence or the fact that your boys are on opposing teams?"

As Hermione watched Aiden expertly dodge a bludger she shivered. "Both."

Draco laughed and took her hand before focusing his attention on the Slytherin versus Gryffindor Quidditch match. This was the first year that his sons were both on teams. Although it wasn't the first time playing against each other it was still beyond exciting.

Caleum played Seeker like Draco had, albeit for Gryffindor. Aiden was a terrifyingly good Chaser for Slytherin with Giana watching his back as a Beater and knocking that bludger into any Gryffindor she could. Rose was a Keeper like her father had been and James was a Chaser on the Gryffindor side. Harry liked to joke that Headmistress McGonagall would have a coronary one day with so many of her favorite students' children playing for her former House's team. Although a poor joke in hindsight, the now elderly woman gained a youthful delight when it was Quidditch season. It was the only reason she hadn't retired yet.

"Caelum Malfoy sees the golden snitch!"

Draco was on his feet faster than anyone could blink and he ignored shouts from behind him to sit. He watched as far as his eyes allowed as Caelum flew into the air and became a tiny speck, the Slytherin Seeker close on his tail. An agonizing fifteen or so seconds passed before a blur of red and gold and green and silver dived from the sky towards the ground with arms outstretched.

"I can't look!" Hermione screeched from beside him.

Normally, Draco would say that she was exaggerating, but even his heart was racing less from a positive adrenaline rush and more from fear.

"Pull up. Pull up," Draco was chanting under his breath as his son and the Slytherin Seeker kept flying straight towards the ground. "Pull up!" He shouted out loud this time. He wasn't the only person standing now and they all watched with wide eyes the closer to the grassy terrain the pair got. Even players on both sides stalled to see the outcome.

"PULL UP!" Draco shouted again. He wasn't sure if Caelum had heard him or if it had been his plan to pull up right then, but he did. The Slytherin Seeker wasn't so lucky and would definitely need some medical attention. In the meantime, Caelum slowed to a halt and raised his hand in the air as the golden snitch fluttered in his hand.

"And after that terrifying nosedive, Caelum Malfoy catches the golden snitch for 150 points! Gryffindor beats Slytherin 550 to 375!"

Draco sat down with a heavy slump, a sigh, and a huge smile on his face. Hermione had uncovered her eyes once the announcer had given Caelum's fate and she immediately smacked Harry on the arm.

"You are never to tell the kids the story of your first Quidditch match ever again."

"You should've been there, Lucius," Narcissa rattled on in a delightful tone. She and the remainder of her family hadn't long returned from Hogwarts. Granted, the game had been over ages ago, but everyone had taken the children and indulged in a massive dinner that nearly took up the entire restaurant in Hogsmeade. "While Quidditch is my least favorite activity to entertain, I must admit that it was exciting."

"Quidditch is always exciting, Cissa," Lucius replied with a smile. He paused for a moment before asking, "Do you have it?"

"Yes." Narcissa went over to her handbag and stuck both of her arms in it. It always made Lucius cringe when he saw her do it, but he had to admit that the charm was quite handy. He watched from where he sat on the edge of their bed as she pulled out a pensieve. An oval bowl filled with clear liquid, other charms had to have been put on it to keep what was inside from spilling, not to mention make it lightweight.

"Hermione, the darling that she is, didn't ask me what I wanted it for," Narcissa explained to her husband. "But she asked Headmistress McGonnagall for it either way. It will have to be returned in the morning, however," she added.

Lucius nodded as he rose from the bed. "Perfectly fine. How long had it been?"

"Four hours. My memories may or may not reflect that, though."

"I'm sure your memories will be sufficient."

Lucius sat on a chair with the pensieve in front of him as Narcissa used her wand to extract a rather long strand of shimmering thread. When finished she dragged it over to the pensieve and let it fall in. The images that swirled were of the Hogwarts grounds and blended colors of red and gold and green and silver.

"You should have just come," Narcissa said softly as she dressed for bed. Lucius gruffly chuckled and shook his head.

"Aside from the fact that Draco has made it perfectly clear he would rather me not around, I am quite sure others echo his sentiment. I can take it from our son. I don't need to hear it from it everyone else."

Narcissa sighed. "If that's what you want. I'll give you some privacy to view the match."

Lucius waited until his wife left before plunging his head into the pensieve. He felt his whole body disappear into a world of memories that weren't his own and he found himself sitting in the crowd. He had heard that both of his grandsons were on their respective House teams. His eyes locked onto Caelum immediately as Gryffindor Seeker. Although not the correct House, this memory could have very easily been his own for Caelum looked so much like Draco. He flew like him too, albeit better. He found himself cheering in a self-composed manner that only he could perform, although by the end he was standing just as his son had. Lucius was sure that no harm had come to Caelum this evening (Narcissa would've surely told him), but it still hadn't erased his panic. All he could think was, "Why won't you pull up?" In the end, Caelum did, and he raised the snitch to the crowd.

After the score was announced the memory was over. Lucius was pushed out of the pensieve and he was sitting upright in his seat. He sighed, smiled, and said to himself, "Well done."

June 15th, 2019

Draco sat with a wide grin on his face as he watched Blaise pace up and down. Blaise wasn't one to get flustered. In fact, he took great pride in watching others get antsy. Now that it was his turn Draco was having the time of his life.

"Blaise, Giana's sixteen," Draco reasoned. "She was bound to go on a date sooner rather than later."

Blaise snorted and scowled at him. "Easy for you to say. Nysa's only seven. You've still got about a decade before you have to deal with this atrocity."

"And that's why you Floo Called me to help, and why I Flooed Called someone else to keep us level-headed."

Blaise was about to ask who when the door to the den opened. Lydia was all smiles as she politely intruded on the men and closed the door after her.

"Oh, come on," Blaise chuckled. "She's the last person you should call 'level-headed.'"

"Excuse me, Mr. Zabini, but do you want to find your precious bits floating down the English Channel?" Lydia questioned with a brow raised. Blaise shook his head and smiled.

"My point proven."

"Fine, she's level-headed with other people, just not with us," Draco amended with a grin.

"Only because you two can induce a headache," Lydia laughed. "Where's Giana?"

"With her mother putting on 'finishing touches,'" Blaise grimaced. Soon after saying that his house elf, Nimble, appeared in the room.

"Master Zabini, Mr. Zachary MacMillan is here to see Miss Giana."

"Sweet Merlin," he groaned. Draco chuckled and stood.

"Thank you, Nimble. Can you let Giana and Liliana know in about ten minutes?"

Nimble bowed. "Of course."

"Alright," Blaise said with a resigned grunt after Nimble was gone. "Let's get this trainwreck over with."

"Fine. And speaking of trainwrecks, try not to go too off the rails, will you? Hermione's friends with the kid's father."

"And that's his only saving grace."

Lydia shook her head in utter amusement and took the lead in leaving the room and heading to the main receiving area of the house. On first glance Zachary seemed like a pleasant boy. Tall, well-dressed, and contentedly looking at photographs that hung on the walls. Regardless of all that, he still seemed nervous.

"You must be Zachary," Lydia greeted.

"And you must be Mrs. Zabini," Zachary smiled as he put out his hand. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, but I'm actually Giana's aunt," she replied as she shook his hand. "Giana's upstairs with her mother and should be down any moment. This," she gestured to Draco, "is-"

"Mr. Malfoy," Zachary told a bit hesitantly. "My, uh, my dad told me stories about you."

"Hmm," Draco mused with a grin. "All bad ones, I'm sure."

Zachary have a nervous chuckle before finally locking eyes onto Blaise. "Giana's father?"

"Could I possibly be anyone else?" Blaise sneered like a predator. Lydia elbowed him in the ribs before she continued being the gracious host.

"So, where are you planning on taking Giana tonight?"

Zachary swallowed deeply before replying, "I have tickets for a show that I thought she'd like. It's in Edinburgh."

"Edinburgh?" Blaise repeated. "That requires apparation. You have an apparating license, boy?"

"Y-yes?"

"Is that a question?" Blaise snapped with a narrowing of his eyes. "Are you not sure?"

"Blaise, don't be mean," Draco playfully admonished. "We agreed to be polite. At first…"

"Please ignore them, Zachary," Lydia smiled comfortingly. "They're just being overprotective."

"Oh, that's fine," he nervously chuckled. "My dad is the same with my sister."

"All fathers are with their daughters," Lydia smiled. "However, there is something that I should probably point out. Giana's father and uncle won't stop at hexing you to a million pieces if you do anything inappropriate to or with their pride and joy. Your father has told you stories of Giana's Uncle Draco, but certainly you've read about him in the history books as well?"

Zachary blanched as he glanced at Draco. "Yes."

"Right, well, he's been quite the upstanding citizen for years. I'd suggest not doing anything to make him break that streak, okay?"

"Yes. Of course. Absolutely," he stammered. Lydia grinned.

"Good. And while I myself have no written history to speak of, my maiden name was Rosier. Keep that in mind, will you?"

If possible, Zachary might have paled further. Luckily for his sake Liliana and Giana had finally come to his rescue. Neither one was oblivious to how uncomfortable the boy looked and Giana profusely apologized as she pulled him along and out of the house.

Liliana watched her daughter leave and sighed, turning to Blaise and the others with her hands on her hips. "She really likes him, you know."

"I know that," Blaise huffed lightly before frowning as he crossed his arms. "I just really wish she didn't."

Liliana laughed and moved to hug him around the waist. Ever grumpy, moody, and paranoid when it came to his children, she couldn't help but find him adorable.

September 4th, 2019

Harry was all smiles as he read Lily's letter out loud. Hermione and Ron were just as happy to know that she had been sorted into Gryffindor as they has been. The three of them were out in the backyard of the Potter residence, laying on the grass, and enjoying the cool breeze as they received the news.

"That's another kid down," Harry said. "Hugo's up next."

"Don't remind me," Ron groaned and chuckled. "Lavender's slowly slipping into an 'I'm getting old' phase."

"I'm right there with her," Hermione said. "I'm turning forty in two weeks and I found a grey hair this morning."

Ron laughed. "Not to mention Aiden's going to be the first of all the kids to turn seventeen next year. Legal age. That must really throw you for a loop."

"You know, you're a good friend, Ron. Don't make me have to kill you."

"You'd better listen to her," Harry grinned. "I'd miss you if you were dead."

"Eh, death isn't too scary," Ron commented with a cheeky expression. "We were nearly taken out year by year. I'm kind of immune to death threats at this point."

"That's a pretty fair assessment," Harry nodded. "Now we're all here talking about our teenage kids."

"Speak for yourself," Hermione gently kicked at Harry's foot. "Nysa's knocking on eight years old."

"Hey, speaking of Nysa, how's Draco holding up?" Ron asked. Hermione sighed and rolled onto her stomach so that she could sit up and look at her friends.

"A little less crazy since Narcissa went with them. He's swears that his father did something to make Nysa like him."

"As much as I'd like to believe that, ole Lucius seemed quite content to keep his distance from your kids," Ron pointed out. Hermione nodded and began plucking random blades of grass.

"I don't know what it is, and I'm not going to give myself a migraine trying to figure it out. Draco will continue to let Nysa around him so long as his mother is in close proximity and there's no evidence of Lucius 'tainting' her."

"And Aiden and Caelum have sworn him off, yeah?" Harry questioned.

"Since day one," Hermione confirmed. "Those boys have always taken everything Draco said to the letter. Nysa, well, she's the rebellious one."

"I wonder where she got that from?" Harry smiled. Hermione huffed and turned up her nose.

"I was a saint, thank you!"

"Oh sure," Ron exaggerated. "Like you didn't set Snape's cloak on fire."

"And there's the Polyjuice," Harry piled on. "And the bit about Rita Skeeter, no?"

"Harry, you can't forget how she hexed the sign-up parchment for Dumbledore's Army. I mean, to have the word 'Sneak' appear on your face?"

"All for a good cause, need I remind you," Hermione countered.

Ron shrugged, still a goofy expression on his face as he finally rolled over like she had so he could look at her.

"Regardless, you've got to admit it was pretty ballsy of you. Couple that with Draco's traits and boom, Nysa."

Hermione rolled her eyes while Harry continued to lay on the ground, contemplative. She noticed and grabbed a few bits of grass and let them fall into his face.

"What are you thinking about?"

Harry pursed his lips for a moment before looking at her from an awkward periphery. "Just wondering what 'good cause' did Nysa approach Lucius for in the first place."

Hermione bit her lip. "Good question. I guess I'll have to ask her that one day."

Author's note: I really loved Ron's talk with Aiden. I don't think I could've had Aiden speak with anyone but Ron for that kind of conversation and it worked well :). And now, the happy, but also sad news. The next chapter will be the last and I'm hoping to get it out before the month is over. This little one-shot turned into something so huge and I'm happy for it and for all of you for reading it.

-WP

Replies to Guests:

A: Lol, that's a lot to read over again, but at least it'll be complete! Thanks so much for reading :)

Guest: Hahahaha, they are, aren't they? I just love Nysa, period lol.

Kate: There will be more! The final chapter will start off with one actually :)

Guest: Hi Chantael! I'm so glad that those moments managed to brighten you up! There'll be at least one or two more scenes with them before it ends, so yey! :). Keep those spirits up!