Better Be Slytherin
LXXIII
Slytherin and Beyond

"He's got your hair obviously"

"And your nose."

Draco was looking down at the child with fascination on his face

Lucius and Narcissa were so proud, and probably relieved the baby had light hair like them and not brown like Pansy. They pranced around with the baby showing it off to everyone, until Pansy cried and Draco retrieved the baby for her. "He's not their toy," she weeped.

Draco guessed the pregnancy hormones hadn't left her just yet.

Hours passed. Pansy slept, and Draco held the baby. He could stare at it for hours. Him, he reminded himself, not it. He'd never loved anything so much, not even Pansy. He'd always thought his love for Pansy and his parents couldn't ever be rivalled, but he loved his son more than anything else. More than he loved himself.

Something wet landed on the baby's nose, and Draco realised it a tear from his own face.

He thought it was the first time he had felt truly happy since before the war. He realised he had everything the first time in his life, he was now complete. He had always been rich and he had thought he'd always had everything he'd ever wanted but this child was the greatest gift he'd ever received and he realised everything else paled in comparison. This child, this magical being that had half of his and half of Pansy's everything. He thought now he'd love Pansy forever because she gave him his son.

He would do anything for this child. He would never abandon this child. He would be a better father than Lucius had ever been, even if Draco had thought when he was younger that that wasn't possible. He would never pressure this baby to do anything. He needed merely to exist in order to be good enough.

He was glad Pansy was asleep. He still wanted to remain strong in front of her.

When she woke up, sleepy, messy, and beautiful, he smiled at her and she reached out for the baby. He reluctantly handed him over carefully. They didn't say anything for a long while.

Then Pansy reached out for his hand and said, "I was thinking we could name him Scorpius after all."

"Really?"

"Yes," she smiled, "why not."

Instantly he was filled with an immense, warm, overwhelming love for her. The mother of his child. He was so proud of her. He merely smiled at her.

A Healer came in to help Pansy get started on the breastfeeding. It took a while but finally Scorpius latched on and Pansy looked taken aback at first.

Draco smiled. "That looks so weird. How does it feel?"

"Really uncomfortable," she said, her face screwed up. "But... cool."

He chuckled. The two he loved most of all was right there, and he didn't want to stop looking at them. He didn't have to tell her, she knew.

He leaned in to kiss her slowly.

"You did so well darling," he whispered.

She laughed. "I never want to do it again."

Two years later

"Hand me my robe will you darling?" came Pansy's breezy voice from the large ensuite in Malfoy Manor. Draco was in their master bedroom getting dressed into today's suit for work. The room was large, airy and filled with expensive rugs and carpets. There was a huge bed in the middle of the room, and large cupboards for all their (Pansy's) clothes.

Without hesitation, he stepped into the bathroom, where the back of Pansy's head was sticking out the magnificent, high bathtub, and he could just about see her soft skin over the bouncy bubbles in the tub that was in the middle of the large bathroom. Pansy was leaned back and looked relaxed, either her eyes were closed or she was looking out the panoramic windows onto the meadows outside, he wasn't sure because he was behind her. They had done some serious renovations on the manor since buying it from Lucius and Narcissa a year previously.

He handed her the robe, and she got up seductively, and didn't rush to put the robe on. He smirked at her naked body. She smirked back.

"Remember we've got the wedding on Saturday," said Pansy casually as she put her robe on. Draco hadn't moved from right in front of her.

"Don't talk about Greengrass while you're all naked and soapy," he groaned jokingly, "I was about to join you in the tub."

"Too late," she said with a mischevious smile, "You've got to get to work. Nice to know I've still got it though."

He grabbed her sides and kissed her hungrily. She giggled when he squeezed her bum. He was such a teenager sometimes.

"Draco, stop!" she laughed as he was now kissing her neck, "it's 8.40."

"I don't care," he mumbled and kept kissing her.

"I've got to get Scorpius up," she said and smiled at him. "And you have to get to work."

"Fine," he groaned mock-annoyed, and then smirked "I'll see you tonight."

"Yes and don't make any plans for the weekend!" she said, "You always forget our plans - we've got Daphne's wedding!"

"I'm not going to stay super late, I do have Quidditch Sunday."

Pansy knew since he retired from playing professionally because of a knee injury, his friendly game of Quidditch every Sunday with his mates was very important to him.

The air was fresh and smelled of seawater, and they could hear the waves crashing nearby. Everyone were dressed in light colour dress robes, and were taking their seats on the many placed chairs in the garden of Daphne and Ben's old detached Georgian house down a cul de sac in a coastal Cornwall Wizarding village.

Pansy saw Draco shake hands with Goyle, as she sat down with Scorpius on her lap.

"Where daddy gone?" said Scorpius, looking around for Draco. Pansy squeezed his hand, and pointed, "He's right there, look, with Uncle Greg."

"I want daddy to sit next to me," said Scorpius, "Here," and he patted the seat next to him.

Draco came to sit down, followed by Goyle. Pansy was cheek kissed by Goyle, although she couldn't be bothered to get up.

"All right Scorpy?" said Goyle and gave the toddler a high five. Scorpius began playing with a plastic figurine of his dad, from Draco's professional Quidditch player days. Draco and Greg were talking work.

Pansy looked around to see if any of her other friends were there. Obviously Astoria and the Greengrass parents were sat on the row in front of them, the first one. Pansy saw Perpetua and Graham making their way down the aisle to find seats, Perpetua was wearing the largest hat she owned which she always wore for weddings. She waved enthusiastically to Pansy, and Pansy smiled back.

"Graham, look, there's seats by Pansy!" said Perpetua and elbowed her way through the crowd to squeeze into the seats directly behind Pansy, Draco and Scorpius.

"Granny! Granddad!" exclaimed Scorpius and they all hugged.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," suddenly, a breathy voice next to her said, and someone quickly slid in to the seat on Pansy's other side.

"Oh, that's ok," said Pansy, and cheek kissed Tracey, "I held the seat for you."

A young girl, who Pansy knew to be Daphne's cousin, began playing the harp at the front where everyone was facing.

"It's starting," mumbled Tracey. Everyone turned their heads and watched Daphne and Ben, both dressed in white, beginning to slowly walk down between the rows of chairs. Pansy was hit with an ugly feeling of slight jelousy, Daphne was, had always been, extremely beautiful. The moment subsided and Pansy instead felt joy for her friend, as they all witnessed Daphne and Ben exchange vows.

Perpetua was placed between Blaise and Tracey at the dinner. Pansy briefly wondered what the thought process was from Daphne and Ben behind this, but she supposed Tracey should just be glad to be invited at all, even though she was seated so close to her ex. Daphne and Tracey had slowly worked their way back to being friends over the years. Now that Daphne was married, and Tracey was engaged, it was like those old wounds had gradually healed.

Draco, Pansy and an impatient and hard to entertain Scorpius were seated opposite them. Draco and Pansy spent most of the dinner trying to keep their son from wriggling out of his chair, whining, or spilling on his dress robes.

"Miss Davis just told me she has managed to pass a law that bans love potions!" said Perpetua, filling Blaise in.

For some reason Tracey looked a bit abashed, Pansy noticed. "Well," she said, clearing her throat, "We have classified them as drugs, which up until now they weren't. It's just one step in fighting the misogony our society has against witches. It's basically a date rape drug."

Blaise nodded politely at her. "Sounds like a great cause."

"What are you up to these days, Blaise?" asked Perpetua, who always had her nose in everyone's business.

"I'm a diplomat for centaur/wizard relations for the Ministry," said Blaise. Moved on from goblins eh? Pansy briefly thought manipulative Blaise was probably perfect for such a role, playing both sides.

"Oh, indeed? And do you enjoy it?" asked Perpetua while grabbing herself more of the dauphinois potatoes for her roasted quail.

"I do," Blaise said, "Every day is different which is fun. And I get to travel loads."

"No no no, Scorpius," Draco suddenly exclaimed, and rushed to put his glass down and grab something out of his son's hand. "That's daddy's wand, it wouldn't be very good if you used it..."

Scorpius was just giggling mischeviously.

Theodore Nott was impatiently opening a stack of letters the morning owl had brought him. He was back in the small countryside cottage him and his father had shared before they had both gone to Azkaban, and his father has subsequently passed away.

The house was more uncared for now than it had ever been. He tossed aside the wedding invitation for Tracey Davis and some bloke he hadn't even met. He had no interest in socialising. He still felt like all of his classmates had somehow betrayed him when they had all turned to the other side in the war, and he had been left alone on the wrong side.

He would never get over that he was sent to Azkaban while Malfoy wasn't. Life would never be fair.

When Lucius left for the Ministry, Narcissa finally got dressed. She put down her book and put on fine robes and then she was not sure what to do. She walked to his bar and poured herself Fire Whiskey in a crystal glass. She checked the grandfather clock.

It was 9.37.

Lucius had just never been the same since Azkaban, and neither had their standing in society. The only thing worth living for nowadays was her grandson. Scorpius was the light of her life.

Two years later

"I've got a birthday gift for you," Pansy sing-songed. He looked up from his morning Prophet.

She grabbed her hands and placed them on her stomach. "Happy thirty-third birthday, my love."

"You're not?!" Draco exclaimed. She just smiled at him as an answer.

He got up so quickly the chair he had been sitting on fell over. He lifted her, spun her around, and kissed her.

"The children are playing dragon hunter in the garden," said Lucius. "Narcissa and Pansy are watching them. You undoubtedly have Ministry work coming out of your ears, so we shall let you get to it."

"Actually, I think I'll go join Scorpious and Albus," said Draco. Anything to get away from his father.

His son had become friends with Potter's boy of the same age, since the two families had always bumped into each other at Ministry events. It had been reluctant at first, from both parties, but in the end the boys had become such good friends the kind thing to do was to let them play. They would only have play dates where the Potters would drop their son quickly and leave, and come back a couple hours later to pick him up. They never stayed to socialise, which the Malfoys were happy about.

"I only work part time for the department of magical sports, father," said Draco. "It's not like I'm the Minister for Magic, I think I can spare some time to play with my son."

Lucius accompanied him downstairs and out into the garden.

"Daddy!" Scorpius yelled and ran towards him with his arms out, expecting an embrace. This was Draco's favourite feeling in the world - his son running towards him for a hug. He picked him up and swung him around.

"Are you having fun, darling?" he asked his son.

"Me and Albus found dragon eggs over there!"

"You should let your father work, Scorpius," said Lucius from behind them. "Your father is a busy man."

Draco rolled his eyes and held Scorpius harder. "Don't listen to your grandfather, Scorp," he said without even looking at Lucius. "I have all the time in the world for you."

Scorpius wasn't as pale skinned as Draco and Lucius, nor was his eyes as grey. They were light blue, dazzling, like a tropical ocean, but his hair was as light blonde as his fathers. He looked more alive, more human. He was a little miracle, Draco thought, the fact that he was so compassionate and gentle, not at all self obsessed like Pansy had been, nor cocky and cruel like Draco had been. He didn't know how he was so lucky to have a son like him.

He had made it his life's mission to be a better father than Lucius had been. Lucius might have loved him in his own way, but he'd never been warm or loving. He'd influenced every part of Draco's personality and childhood to the point where Draco had thought joining a madman was a good idea.

A part of him was still ashamed for thinking he wanted to be better than Lucius, as if he could ever. He had idolised him so much, his whole life until Lucius had been sent to Azkaban. It had taken over a decade to work through some beliefs he'd held as a child and teenager. He'd finally come to a point where he didn't value the lives of Muggleborns any less than himself, and where he could support Scorpius being friends with anyone he chose, regardless of Blood Status. It was all so outdated, the old views.

He thought that he had always wanted Lucius' approval growing up and that's why he'd been such a dickhead. Now, he couldn't care less. In fact, he wanted to make it a point that he was different than his father. He read his son a bedtime story every night. "Reading bedtime stories are for House-Elves," Lucius had said, sneering.

Scorpius' fifth birthday party was featured in Witch Weekly, as Pansy had a successful column there she would often write about her own life, and there was even a photographer there at Malfoy manor for the magazine.

Scorpius spent half of the party crying because the warlock they had hired to entertain the children was in his own words "scary".

"The boy would've made an even worse Death Eater than you were," said Lucius, at what was presumably his attempt of a joke. "He's a little softie."

Draco gritted his teeth, and glared at his father who didn't take any notice. Without a word, he left to go get a drink from his wife.

When the last guests had left, the three of them shared some leftover cake. Scorpius was sat on Pansy's lap, spilling icing on her small baby bump.

"Did you like your party?" asked Pansy and stroked the hair out of Scorpius' forehead. He had chocolate icing all around his mouth, and he nodded, seemingly forgetting all about the scary warlock.

"We have something to tell you, my love," said Draco.

"What?" demanded Scorpius.

"You're going to be a big brother," said Draco. "You're going to have a baby sister or brother."

Scorpius stared at him for a second, motionless, and then he threw his cake down and screamed, and instantly began crying hysterically.

"I don't want ooooone!" he wailed. Draco and Pansy shared a slightly panicked look. "Give it back!"

"We can't give it back, darling, don't be silly!" said Pansy, trying to calm the situation.

Scorpius kept crying for a while, and Draco and Pansy tried to hide their laughs, just like they had done on that Care of Magical Creatures lesson where Umbridge had inspected Hagrid.

"You're going to love her!" said Pansy, and lifted him up to hold him. Draco rolled his eyes at her, so she added, "Or him."

Scorpius pulled away and looked at her sternly as if he was being very reasonable. "NO mummy, I won't! I promise I won't."

"It's a little baby, that you can play with."

"I'm not going to talk to it," said Scorpius, crossing his arms angrily.

"Oh my darling," said Pansy half-amused, half-annoyed. "You don't have to. You'll be mine and the new baby will be daddy's. Ok?"

"Watch it, Pans, or you'll do damage," said Draco as he began clearing up their plates.

But Pansy was getting amused. "Then daddy and the new baby can live somewhere else so you don't have to see them!"

That made Scorpius even angrier, and he collapsed in new sobs. "NO! I don't want that, I want daddy to live here!"

"So can the baby live here with us then?"

Scorpius groaned. "Fineeee. But that's it! One more. No more after."

"All right, you're the boss." She glanced at Draco and gave a snort laugh.

"It'll be fun, Scor," said Draco, "You'll have someone to play Quidditch with."

"But I wanna play Quidditch with you!"

"Well I'll be an old man soon, and too tired to play."

Scorpius face screwed up in apparent fake crying. Pansy laughed again. "We're not the best at this talk are we?"

Pansy had a home birth at the manor with a bunch of Healers, she was too lazy and spoilt to go to St Mungos. But afterwards Draco could see the benefits. Pansy was lying in bed, exhausted with the tiny baby on her chest, and Draco came in carrying Scorpius, and let him carefully sit on the bed.

Pansy winced from pain, but smiled at their son. "Careful, baby, mummy's very tired," she whispered to Scorpius. "Look, here's your little sister."

Scorpius' face was enough to make Draco laugh out loud. He was staring at the baby like he'd never seen anything like it. With a mixture of fear and awe, he reached out his little hand slowly and then looked up questioningly at Pansy, who smiled and said "Yes you can touch her, just be gentle because she's so little."

Scorpius stroked her with his pointy and then whispered, "Woow..."

Pansy sent Draco a look and they shared a smile. "Not to bad eh?" said Draco. "That's your sister. She's brand new."

"Is today her birthday?" said Scorpius.

"Yes darling," said Pansy, "She's less than a day old."

"Then we should have cake! And we need to give her presents. Like when it's my birthday."

Draco smiled.

"What's her name?" he asked.

"we haven't named her yet," said Draco.

"What do you think would suit her?" said Pansy stroking his cheek.

Scorpius stared at her in disbelief. "You mean she doesn't have a name? At all? So you can pick?"

Pansy laughed, "Yes darling, we picked Scorpius for you. The mummies and daddies always get to pick a name for the baby. They come unnamed."

Startled at this preposterous new fact, Scorpius stared at the baby.

"It really doesn't have a name?"

"She, darling," said Pansy, "Me and daddy were thinking Cordelia or Serafina."

Scorpius said, pondering, "Serafina..."

"Do you like that name my love?"

He nodded and embraced his sister in a wild hug, making Pansy say, "careful careful careful, Scorpius." and Draco smiled looking at them.

His whole world was right here in this bed.