Chapter 4

The shopping trip was a complete success (with no broom purchased, much to Ron's dismay), and they soon found themselves at Hermione's home. While the new mother and Pansy were busy arranging Aquila's bedroom, Uncle Ron was acquainting the small boy with his new backyard. While they were getting everything situated, Hermione shared the story of Aquila's parentage with Pansy.

Pansy sighed. "I do wonder where Draco is, and how he is doing. We have known each other since we were very small. I just know wherever he is, he is hurting so terribly. I don't even want to imagine losing my mother in the way he did. He must feel so alone."

"You know that Draco is definitely not one of my favorite people, Pansy. He was positively evil to me in school, but I wouldn't wish what happened to him on anyone. I'm just surprised that he didn't even acknowledge the letters from the orphanage. Don't you think he would have welcomed the chance to have some family with him?"

"I don't know, Hermione, I just hope somehow he can find some happiness someday. He wasn't really happy at home even before all that mess happened with the war. Lucius was a horrible father."

Pansy looked at Hermione, who was busy making up the bed. "What happens if he shows up here someday and wants to get acquainted with his little brother? I know that he can't possibly take him from you, but what if he wants some kind of relationship with him?"

Hermione stopped what she was doing and stared at Pansy. "I honestly don't know, Pans, I guess I would be very nervous about letting him into Aquila's life. But what kind of person doesn't let someone get to know his own brother?"

She sat down on the edge of the bed, "When I was at the orphanage, I just assumed that Draco must have received the letters and decided he wanted nothing to do with Aquila. If, someday he shows up here, I guess it will all depend on how he approaches me. I will not allow someone to treat me horribly in front of my child. He showed me nothing but hatred and disrespect the whole time we were at Hogwarts, and I would have to see plenty of evidence of a change in attitude."

"You're absolutely right, Hermione, but I guess we will have to wait and see what happens in any case." Pansy grabbed Hermione by the hand and pulled her up to her feet, "Come on, let's get this room finished!"

They made quick work of making the bed and putting all of the little boy's things away. Hermione picked up her wand and with a flourish, the walls were a soft blue shade to complement the blue and tan comforter she purchased for her son's sturdy child sized bed. Pansy put the last stuffed toy on top of the small bookshelf in the corner, next to the child's desk that had once been in Hermione's bedroom years ago.

"Hermione, don't you think you should get Harry and Ginny over here?"

Pansy and Hermione were standing in the doorway of Aquila's room admiring their handiwork. "I think since Ron has already made your son's acquaintance, Harry might be upset if you wait any longer."

Hermione gasped. "Oh my, you are right! I'd better floo call them right now!"

She hurried to the fireplace and invited Harry and Ginny right over. Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Ginny were standing, open mouthed looking out the window into the back yard watching Uncle Ron giving Hermione's new son a ride on his back around the yard. Ron was whinnying like a horse, and Aquila was whooping it up and laughing. "Faster, Unca Ron, faster!"

Harry turned to Hermione, "Could you please explain to us why you adopted a Malfoy, Hermione?"

Hermione looked Harry straight in the eye and channeled her inner Molly Weasley. "Harry James Potter, you sit down on that sofa right now and keep your mouth shut! Do you hear me? I'm going to let the tone of that question slide just this once because of your surprise at this new situation, but you will listen to the whole story right now without interrupting me!"

Harry slammed his mouth shut and sat down, followed shortly by Ginny. Pansy went into the kitchen to make tea for everyone. Hermione sat down in the chair across from the surprised and silent couple.

She began her story of how she found her son, or rather, how his magic had called to her. They were shocked at the news about the spontaneous bonding between Hermione and the small boy. She told them who his birth father was, how he came to be at the orphanage, and on what day he was born.

Ginny teared up when she thought that this child was born the same day her dear brother Fred, along with so many others, had died. Then she smiled and Harry laughed out loud when she told him about Ron trying to beat Harry at buying her son his first broom.

Harry looked out the nearby window for a moment. He could see Ron running across the yard holding Aquila aloft as if he was flying. The child was laughing and had an expression of bliss on his tiny face. "But Hermione, he looks just like his father," Harry questioned, "doesn't it bother you when you look at him?"

A voice to his left drew Harry's attention and he looked over to see Pansy walking into the room, a tea service and biscuits floating next to her. She pierced him with a look and very nonchalantly said, "Oh, he looks like his father! What a perfect reason to despise an innocent child! Reminds me of a certain Potions Master and 'Boy-Who-Lived,' does it not?"

Harry stared at Pansy for a brief moment, then had the grace to flush and look completely ashamed of himself. He looked at Hermione, "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'm being a complete jerk! Of all people, I should know better than to judge someone like that."

Ginny reached over to grasp Harry's hand, "We both think it's perfectly wonderful that you are giving a child a good, loving home, Hermione. Yes, we are a little shocked about this whole thing, but we would like to get to know him. He sounds pretty special."

"You two just wait," said Pansy, who was currently using her wand to direct the tea service to fix the tea to each person's taste. "That child has his own special brand of magic. You will be quite taken with him well before you leave this evening."

"Well Hermione, judging by the happiness emanating from your entire being, I'd say that motherhood definitely agrees with you!" Harry reached for his mug of tea and picked up a chocolate biscuit from the plate on the table in front of the sofa.

"Harry, I've never been happier in my entire life, I can't begin to explain to you what this feels like. He has become my whole world in an instant. I couldn't love him more if I had given birth to him myself." She felt a flood of emotions again and tears started to fall once more.

"Mama! No cry!" Hermione looked up to see her son running to her from across the room. Ron was just coming in the door and closing it behind him.

"No mama! No be sad!" He flung himself into her lap, starting to cry himself.

"Oh Aquila, it's alright, love, mama is not sad, it's ok." She pulled him up into her lap and wrapped her arms around him, murmuring into his ear, trying to calm him down. "Don't cry, everything is fine."

They sat there together for a few moments and Aquila seemed to calm down. He finally looked around and noticed the new faces in the room. "Who dat, mama?" He snuggled in a little closer to his mother and eyed the strangers on the sofa.

"That is your Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, Aquila. They are part of your new family too. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, this is Aquila Harry Ronald Granger." She watched as Harry's eyes welled up knowing that Hermione had named her son for her two best friends.

"Very nice to meet you, Aquila."

Harry reached out his hand as if to offer a handshake to the small child. Aquila eyed his hand and slipped off his mother's lap. He walked closer to Harry, all the while keeping his gaze on Harry's green eyes.

Aquila stopped just short of Harry's knees and looked over to Ginny, giving her a shy smile. Then he placed one little hand in Harry's much larger one and grabbing Harry's shirt with the other, pulled himself into Harry's lap. He and Harry studied each other for a short time, gray/blue eyes locked onto green. "Unca Harry?" he asked quietly.

Hermione watched as her other best friend melted.

"Yes, Aquila, I'm your Uncle Harry, and this is Aunt Ginny. We are your family, along with Uncle Ron and Aunt Pansy. We all love you very much."

"What did I say? Definitely very taken with him." Pansy's quiet comment was ignored by most everyone in the room, but Ron gave her a questioning look. "I'll tell you later, love," she whispered to him.

Aquila reached up to put his little arms around his new uncle's neck and proceeded to gift Harry with a hug. Harry sighed and wrapped his arms gently around the small child, kissing the top of his head. Ginny leaned over to whisper in Aquila's ear, "May I have a hug, too Aquila?"

He reached up and placed his hand on Ginny's rich auburn locks. "You pretty, Aunt Gin," as he reached out his arms to the young redhead.

She took him from Harry's lap and held him close, "Thank you, Aquila. That was a very nice thing to say."

Pansy stood quietly, reached for her fiancé, and rested her head on his shoulder. She sniffed as the tears ran freely down her cheeks. She was so happy for her new friend, finding such a beautiful, kind little son.

She thought of her childhood friend, Draco and wondered how different his life would have been if he had received all the unconditional love that his half-brother was destined to have for the rest of his life. She wondered if Draco, wherever he was, even knew that he had a brother.

Pansy took a breath to compose herself, cleared her throat and called to the little boy, "Aquila, sweetheart, do you want to come with mama and Aunt Pansy to see your new room?" Pansy smiled in delight as the little boy squealed and jumped off Ginny's lap.

"Me new room? Come on, mama!" Aquila grabbed his mum's hand and dragged her, down the hall to the bedroom. Hermione's eyes were shining brightly, and she laughed at her son's enthusiasm. Ron, Harry and Ginny followed close behind.

Everyone was suitably impressed with Aquila's new room as he pointed out everything to them repeatedly. "Look, my bed, Unca Ron! See my toys, Unca Harry?" The little blond head was bobbing all over the room in excitement.

Soon enough, everyone made ready to leave, giving out hugs all around and promising to see each other at the Burrow on Sunday. Ginny promised Hermione that she would prepare her parents and other siblings. "I hope he has a good appetite on Sunday, Hermione, you know my mother is going to try to fill him out a bit. He's too thin!"

"By the way, Hermione, did Ron beat me to buying that broom, or do I need to go shopping?"

"Harry!"