Five years later
"It's getting out of hand."
"I agree, but what can we do about it?"
"I have an idea but you're not going to like it," Rose pursed her lips across the table from her husband. Scorpius was holding their one year old son on his lap, attempting to feed him pieces of muggle cereal while Rose was busy cutting a piece of sausage into bite-sized chunks for their four year old daughter.
"Let me hear it," he said in defeat.
"I think that I should take her to Knockturn Alley."
"What?" Scorpius's mouth dropped open and he gazed at Rose as if she'd grown an extra head. "What the bloody hell would that accomplish?"
"There's bound to be something that would cloak her abilities from the Ministry! If there is, I'm sure I would be able to find it in Knockturn Alley."
"There are several things wrong with that thought," said Scorpius casually, "first of all, if either of us ventured down there it should be me. Secondly, they would recognize either of us. Thirdly, she's four years old for Godric's sake! We shouldn't even have this problem yet!"
Four year old Adara Malfoy was bright for her age. She knew exactly what her parents were talking about. For the past couple of months she'd been doing accidental magic. Okay, perhaps it was not entirely accidental.
She'd been told for years about magic, how it worked, even the names of certain spells. But she'd never seen magic performed before. Her parents didn't do magic anymore. They said it was too dangerous because the Ministry was capable of detecting magic.
The Malfoy family lived in a muggle neighborhood and had not registered with the Ministry of Magic when they moved because, quite frankly, it would have been quite stupid. Rose's parents and Scorpius's parents panicked when they discovered their children were missing.
Although Rose and Scorpius didn't know any of the details, both were certain that their families had offered huge rewards for information on the location of their children and that the Ministry was probably looking for them. When a witch or wizard became of age, the Trace was taken off of them, but the Ministry still had ways of detecting magic use throughout the country. If magic was used in a muggle neighborhood, the Ministry could check to see if there were any registered witches or wizards living there.
To be safe, Rose and Scorpius had long ago locked away their wands. Scorpius worked now as a lawyer which made more than enough money to support the family comfortably. Rose stayed at home with her children but was hopeful that once they started primary school she would be able to find a job.
They hadn't expected Adara to show signs of magic for a couple more years. The average age was anywhere from seven to nine when children began performing magic. But now it was too late to think of that. Because their daughter could ruin the lives they had been building for the last five years.
"It makes sense for me to go, Love. You're too recognizable. You look like a Malfoy," said Rose reasonably.
"And you look too much like a Weasley. Damn it, Rose, if we could do magic you could just transfigure my features or brew up some Polyjuice Potion!"
"Watch your language in front of the children," she replied mildly then addressed his concerns, "My resemblance to the rest of my family is why I think I should be the one to go. I will blend right in. There are so many of us Weasleys. Several close to my age and with similar looks; Molly, Lucy, Dominique, Lily..."
His expression softened just a bit, "None of them look like you, Rose. You're much more beautiful than your cousins."
"Thanks," she beamed at him, "but you're just trying to change the subject. We both know that this is our best option. I'll wear a cloak and keep the hood up to hide my hair. If anyone does catch sight of me, they'll just mistake me for another Weasley. After all, who would expect Rose Weasley to be strutting down Diagon Alley?"
...
In the end, Rose had won the argument, just as she normally did. She parked her car a few streets away from The Leaky Cauldron and hurriedly pulled Adara from her toddler seat. "Are we really going to Diagon Alley, Mummy?" the girl asked excitedly.
"Yes, Darling, but we don't have time to look around right now. In a few years Mummy will bring you back to get your things for Hogwarts, but right now we're in a hurry."
Her whole body vibrating with excitement, the little girl held tightly to her mother's hand and they made their way to the pub Rose knew so well. This would be the hardest part. Her Uncle Neville and Aunt Hannah owned the place and they would recognize her immediately if they caught a glimpse of her face.
Normally she wore muggle clothes everywhere, but that didn't mean she hadn't held onto her witch's attire. As she approached the place she pulled on an emerald green cloak and fastened the brass button. Then she bent down to pull a dark purple cloak over Adara; the girl would look out of place in Diagon Alley wearing a muggle dress.
"Now behave and don't tell anyone your surname. Can you do that, Addie?"
"Yes," Adara promised. And she meant it. If the only way she could get her parents to bring her to this place was to be on her best behavior then she would be the best little girl in the whole world.
Most magical people had to gaze at the front of the Leaky Cauldron for several minutes before being able to see it, as it was hidden to the muggle eye. But not Adara. It was effortless for her. "I'm going to carry you through the restaurant," said Rose as she scooped her daughter up into her arms.
With haste, she pulled the hood of her cloak up to cover her untamed red locks and entered the tavern. It was just like she remembered it and being there made her heart hurt. Her Aunt Hannah was behind the bar, pouring a glass of firewhiskey to a customer.
"What can I get for you?" Hannah called to Rose with a smile.
"Just passing through," Rose replied gruffly and swept briskly out the backdoor to the brick wall and then entered Diagon Alley.
...
Albus Severus Potter was just exiting his uncle's joke shop when he saw her. He was always skimming the heads of people walking up and down the alley, looking for a glimpse of red or a speck of white-blonde that was unique to the Malfoy family. For the past five years he never had any luck. When he did spot someone with red hair it ended up being a different cousin.
Now, however, he did a double-take. White blonde hair had caught his attention and he focused in on it. He groaned in disappointment. It was just a little girl. She couldn't be more than perhaps five years old.
But Albus was certain she had to be a Malfoy. With hair that blonde and the graceful way she moved, it reminded him so much of Scorpius that he felt compelled to follow her. He weaved his way through the crowd until he was closer to the little girl and saw that she was holding tightly to the hand of someone who must be her mother.
The witch's face was hidden and she was moving distinctly with purpose, but the gait was familiar to Albus. He hastily removed his glasses, cleaned them, put them back on his face and gazed at them again. It couldn't be.
As if sensing someone watching her, the little girl's head swiveled around to gaze directly at Albus. His heart jumped up into his throat. She had Rose's face. The Weasley blue eyes, heart-shaped frame, and barely-there freckles across the bridge of her nose.
If there was any doubt before, it was gone now. Albus dashed forward and followed the duo as they turned down Knockturn Alley. When they entered Borgin and Burkes, he extracted the Extendable Ear from his pocket and listened to the conversation inside.
"What can I do for you?" asked Mr. Burke, a descendent of the man who'd originally opened the shop.
"I'm here because I have a dilemma, Mr. Burke, that I am hoping you can help me with."
"Certainly, certainly."
"You see, my daughter is only four years old, and she has started performing accidental magic," hearing Rose's voice for the first time after so many years had Albus almost in tears, and Albus never cried.
"That's quite a feat for such a young lass," commented Mr. Burke.
"Indeed," said Rose snippily, "I'm afraid that the Ministry will be able to detect her magic use and it's my desire to find a way to hide it from the Ministry."
"Why?" asked Mr. Burke suspiciously as he leaned forward across the counter to get a closer look at the girl who then took a step back and looked like she was fighting the urge to hide behind her mother.
"My reasons are my own. Do you have a way to accomplish this or not?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," he disappeared into a back room for a few minutes and when he emerged he was holding a frayed and yellowed piece of parchment. "Handy little spell that I haven't used in a few years. Is there any type of trinket that your daughter always has on her?"
"Yes," said Rose as she bent down to unclasp the necklace hanging around Adara's neck. It was one of the few Malfoy heirlooms that Scorpius had brought with him from the Manor. An elegant silver M embedded with emeralds and with a serpent entwining the letter. She handed it over to Mr. Burke who eyed it carefully before pulling out his wand and muttering a complex incantation over it.
When he was finished, the charm emitted a bright golden glow for just a second and then looked exactly the same as it always had. "That should do it," he proclaimed as he handed it back to Rose.
"That's all?" she asked with interest.
"That spell should cloak any magic that the Ministry might be able to detect for at least the next decade."
"If I were to give you another item, like a ring, would the spell also work on a witch or wizard who is of age?" Rose bent to replace the necklace around the throat of her daughter.
"Absolutely."
"Here," Rose thrust her left hand at him, showing off the wedding band that was magically stuck to her finger. Mr. Burke uttered the same incantation a second time and then released her hand from his grasp.
"How much do I owe you?" she pulled a heavy pouch from her pocket.
"Fifty galleons, and that's a bargain for you, Mrs. Malfoy," he grinned.
Rose paled but stood her ground. After forking over the fifty galleons, she said in a business-like tone, "Very well. You know how this works, I'm sure, Mr. Burke, so please save me time and tell me which is more likely to keep your mouth shut; a threat or a bribe?"
"A bribe," he said at once, "A hundred galleons every time you visit my shop. If you're hiding from the Ministry I'm sure you'll be needing my assistance several times throughout the coming years."
"It's a deal," as she handed over even more money, Adara wandered over to the window and peered out at the odd people walking by on the street. When she glanced up, she saw the same man who had been watching them earlier. His untidy black hair standing up in the back, his round spectacles slightly askew, and his green eyes wide with surprise.
Adara gave him her best smile and waved. He looked nice. Albus blinked at her and then waved back. She had Malfoy's smirk, Al realized when the little girl was about to turn away from him. The first breathtaking smile she'd bestowed on him was all Rose, but then it had turned into Malfoy's smirk.
When they finally exited the shop, Rose said quietly, "We're going to make just a quick stop for Daddy and then we'll go home."
"Oh, Mummy," cried Adara, "I don't want to go home yet! There was a store that had owls! And racing brooms!"
"Absolutely not," said Rose while adjusting her hood, still being unaware of the fact that her cousin was following her, "the last time you got ahold of a broomstick, you ended up stuck up in the tree behind the house. Daddy had to climb up there and get you."
"It was an accident," pleaded the girl.
"How about we get some sweets instead? Brand new ones that you've never had before. Chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes and licorice wands!"
"Oh yes!" the little girl jumped up into the air and clapped her hands together.
"Okay, but you must hold my hand." Adara obliged and the two disappeared into the best sweetshop in Diagon Alley.
With her arms laden with bags, Rose left Diagon Alley at a quick pace which had Al struggling to keep up. When he saw her getting into a car, he acted quickly and shot a spell at her. Thankfully it hit his target. It was a nifty little spell that he'd learned in Auror training as a way of tracking someone. Anywhere Rose went, Albus would be able to follow.
...
It didn't take Albus long on a broomstick to follow the direction his wand led him in to find his long lost cousin. She surprisingly didn't live very far from London. When he landed across the street from the house his wand was leading him to, he pulled the Invisibility Cloak tighter around his shoulders and snuck up to the house.
To say that what he saw surprised him would be an understatement. Scorpius Malfoy, the boy who everyone in the school had been afraid to approach, the boy who everyone thought would curse the first person who looked at him funny, the boy who was accused of so many terrible things was lying on his back on the floor. In his arms was a small toddler who Scorpius was tossing lightly into the air and then catching. Both father and son were laughing heartily.
The little girl came running in then, holding a doll, and Scorpius sat up to talk with the girl, a smile on his face. The girl clambered up onto Scorpius's lap and began brushing her doll's hair while talking to her dad. A few moments later, Rose entered the room and it was the first time Al saw her face in five years.
She looked older, but the same. His heart faltered. His entire life, Rose had been not only his favorite cousin but also his best friend. The few times he'd suspected of something going on between her and Scorpius, she had quickly dismissed his assumptions. Of course, he should've assured her that he would have been okay with it, but he never did. He would just let it go.
The toddler, he noticed, could stand on wobbly legs and take a step or two before falling over. He had reddish blonde hair that Albus would almost classify as strawberry blonde, but with just a touch more red than that. His short hair was curling a bit and he could tell, even from this distance, that it had the same texture as Rose's unruly curls.
Both children, oddly enough, were perfect blends of their parents. The eldest, whom Albus had heard Rose call, "Adara," looked equally like Scorpius and Rose. So did this small boy. The mixture of his parent's hair colors, and as Albus inched up to the window to get a better look, saw that the boys eyes were his father's shade of grey but had Rose's shape to them.
"Come on, silly," he heard Rose say with a smile as she picked up the boy, "is your daddy being funny again?" The boy laughed and said, "Daddy! Daddy!"
"That's right, Lux," cooed Scorpius as he tapped the baby gently under his chin, "going to be just as smart as your mum, aren't you? Look at you, already saying words and walking! Not even a year old yet!"
Rose beamed at Scorpius and stretched up to give him a kiss on the jaw, "I love you, darling."
Scorpius took her face very gently in his hands and gave her a light kiss on the lips, "I love you, too, Rose."
The look he gave his wife then made Albus want to turn his face away from watching. It was so full of love and longing that he felt almost like he was intruding on something private. So instead, he said to himself, "Lux? What sort of name is that?"
"Must be short for 'Pollux,'" said a voice next to him. Albus jumped as his younger sister, Lily, suddenly appeared beside him.
"Lily? What the hell?" Albus growled.
"You were so busy following Rose that you didn't notice me following you under a Disillusionment Charm."
"Okay, so why do you think his name is Pollux?"
"All the old pureblood families have the tradition of naming their children after stars and constellations. Like Adara. And Pollux."
"How the bloody hell do you know the names of all the stars and constellations?"
"Because I actually paid attention in Astronomy, you prat. Now, shh, Adara is saying something."
"Mummy, I'm hungry," said the little girl who looked up at her parents from the doll in her arms who had previously had her attention.
"Would you like to fly to the kitchen like an airplane?" inquired Scorpius.
"Yes!" declared Adara. A moment later, she was in her father's arms as he made airplane noises, and swung her around, 'flying' her into the kitchen and placing her in a chair at the table.
As Rose brought the food from the stove to the table, Albus retreated. He didn't think he could stand to watch anymore. Nor did he want to risk what might happen if he announced his presence to the small family.
"Come on," he said gruffly to Lily, "let's get out of here."
"They seem happy, don't they?"
"Yes," said Al in a tone of defeat.
"Are you going to tell Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione?"
"I rather think that I should. They haven't been the same since she ran away. I think they would accept her marriage to Scorpius if it meant having her back in their lives."
"Did you see the little girl?" Lily asked softly, "she was at least four years old, Albus, you know what that means. Rose was probably pregnant when she ran away."
Albus paled at that revelation, the mental image rising unbidden in his mind of Rose, at the tender age of seventeen, shagging Scorpius Malfoy. He shuddered. "I would rather not think about that, Lils."
"Let's Apparate home, okay? It's kind of chilly tonight and I don't fancy flying in the rain," it had just started to sprinkle little rain droplets.
"Yeah, alright, I'll do it. Hold tight." Lily hugged her brother closely and the two disappeared with a loud crack!
Inside the house, Rose's head snapped up at the sound. Her eyes sought Scorpius's, to find that his were wide as well. They both knew that sound too well. "Do you think..." she trailed off, unsure of what she thought herself.
"It could be coincidence," he said briskly.
"Or it might not be," Rose's hand fluttered absently over her abdomen, "I might have been followed home, or the Ministry might have come to investigate Addie's magic..."
Scorpius, who had noticed Rose's odd movements quirked an eyebrow at her in question, "Are you feeling alright?" he nodded towards her hands, which were both on her stomach.
"What? Oh, yes, just felt a bit sick. But aren't you concerned about whoever just Apparated?"
"Not as much as I'm concerned about my wife possibly being sick. Do you want to lie down?"
"Don't be silly, Scorpius, I just need something to eat, I haven't eaten all day, and I was shaking with nerves the whole time I was in Diagon Alley."
"Let's go to bed early tonight, okay? Just so you get some extra rest," his concern for her had her smiling fondly, but she knew he was fretting over nothing.
"I almost forgot! Addie, why don't you give Daddy his surprise?" at Rose's prompting, the little girl hopped down from her chair, rushed to the sitting room, and came running back with a bag full of sweets.
"Wow! Thanks, Rose!" Scorpius exclaimed in excitement, "I don't think I'm going to have any dinner tonight! Merlin, I haven't had Deluxe Sugar Quills in ages!" a moment later, he was moaning in appreciation of the goodies and Rose felt happiness swell within her. As much as she sometimes missed her parents and other relatives, she wouldn't give up the life she had now for anything.
...
"Aunt Hermione?" Albus called as he let himself into the house through the front door, "Uncle Ron? Hugo?"
"Oh, hullo, Albus," Hermione bustled into the sitting room. She looked well, he noted silently, for nearly a year after Rose had run away Hermione looked so pale and ragged. "Is everything alright?"
She moved closer to her nephew and brushed his untidy black hair back over his forehead, checking to see if he had a fever. Albus barely suppressed a chuckle, "I'm fine, Aunt Hermione. I just had something I wanted to talk to you and Uncle Ron about. Is he here?"
"Yes, I'm here," Ron was still in his magenta staff robes that he wore to work as he entered the room.
"You two might want to sit down," he cautioned as he motioned to the sofa. Once they were both seated comfortably, and eyeing him with suspicion, he exhaled sharply and just spit it out, "When-I-left-the-joke-shop-today-I-saw-Rose."
"What?" Hermione's question was barely audible. Ron looked like he'd been hit by a bus. "We've been searching for her for years. Years! And you just happen to see her wandering down Diagon Alley?"
Albus hesitated before admitting the rest, "She was only there for one reason. I followed her to Knockturn Alley, and listened in on the conversation she had in Burgin and Burkes-"
"I knew it!" Ron interrupted angrily, "that slimy git has corrupted her! What sort of illegal stuff was she buying? Or selling?"
Albus's eyes were sad when he replied, "She was there to purchase a spell that would cloak magic use from the Ministry...apparently her daughter started performing magic at an early age and they were worried about the Ministry detecting it."
That left both Hermione and Ron speechless. After several long minutes, Ron managed a strangled question, "I'm...a granddad?"
Al gave him a small smile, "It looks like it, Uncle Ron. She was with Rose today, in Diagon Alley. She's beautiful."
"Of course she is," said Hermione hoarsely, "how could she not be with a mother like Rose? And you think it's definitely Scorpius's then?" Hermione was not an idiot, she knew the answer, but still hated to hear it confirmed.
"Without a doubt."
"Did you manage to follow her home?" Hermione inquired.
"Yes," said Al slowly, "but I'm not sure if I should give you two her address. Rose obviously doesn't want to be found, and...and I don't think it would be right for the two of you, or even a team of Aurors, to go bursting in there and bust apart a happy family!"
"A happy family?" Ron's voice cracked on the last word.
"Yes," he replied vehemently, suddenly defensive of his favorite cousin and her choices, "I followed her home and do you know what I found? Scorpius Malfoy, Rose's husband, taking care of their small son while Rose was out with Adara."
"Adara?" the name rolled sweetly off Hermione's tongue.
"Yeah, it seems Rose and Scorpius have two kids. And they're so happy. You should have seen them, Uncle Ron, you wouldn't have believed it. Hell, I saw and heard it myself and I almost don't believe it."
"How about this," said Hermione, tightening her hold on Ron's hand as she knew he was about to start yelling at Albus, demanding an address. "We promise that we won't barge in there and demand on bringing her home. We'll disguise ourselves as muggles and just go and visit with them and assess the situation ourselves."
While thinking this over, Al eyed them cautiously then abruptly nodded his head before rattling off the address. "Don't hurt her again, either of you. If you force her to run away again, we might never find her."
...
Ron and Hermione were now Robert and Linda Williams. They were a young muggle couple, standing with their arms linked, knocking on the front door of a large house in a nice muggle neighborhood. "Malfoys always did have money..." grumbled Ron as he gazed at the home.
Hermione jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow just as the front door opened. Scorpius Malfoy stood on the threshold, with a tiara on his head and a little girl clinging to his back shouting, "Hold still! Your crown is going to fall, Daddy!"
Her tiny little hands straightened the lopsided tiara as Scorpius grinned good-naturedly at the people he didn't recognize standing before him. "Hullo," he greeted them brightly, "Can I help you with anything?"
"Erm, yes," said Hermione who couldn't take her eyes off of the little girl who had Rose's face framed by platinum blonde hair. "My-my husband and I were thinking of purchasing the house that's for sale across the street," she motioned vaguely over her shoulder, "but we wanted to meet a few of the neighbors first and ask a few questions about the neighborhood."
"Well come on in," Scorpius would normally be wary of inviting strangers into his home, but his wand was always in his pocket and he knew muggles would be no match for a wizard if they tried anything funny. "My name is Scorpius, by the way, Scorpius Malfoy."
He extended his hand which Hermione immediately grasped, "Linda Williams, and my husband, Robert."
"Nice to meet you," grunted Robert who was looking around the house in a way that made Scorpius uneasy.
"Alright, Addie, we have company so I'm going to have to put you down. We can finish playing dress-up later, okay?"
"Aw," Adara pouted as her father bent down to set her gently on her feet, "but we didn't even get to the jewelry yet!"
He chuckled, ruffled her hair affectionately, and the little girl ran up the stairs saying something about needing to play with her baby dolls. "Beautiful daughter you have there," said Hermione softly.
"Yes," Scorpius smiled in a way that melted Hermione's heart, "just like her mother, too. My wife, Rose, should be home soon, she went to the doctor with our son for his one-year-old check-up. His birthday is next week."
"Oh, congratulations," Hermione gave Ron a pointed look, clearly telling him to join in on the conversation. He was still busily inspecting the pictures that adorned the walls; mostly muggle art, and the occasional family photograph.
"Would you like some coffee or tea?" Scorpius offered.
"Yes, tea would be lovely, thank you," said Hermione.
"Yeah, a cup of tea, that would be great," agreed Ron, who was finally starting to relax just a bit. They sat down gingerly on the sofa as Scorpius disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned with the tea he waited patiently for Mr. and Mrs. Williams to ask him questions about the neighborhood.
"So what do you do for a living?" asked Ron bluntly.
"I'm a lawyer, actually. Not many professions earn enough money to live in this area. Most of the occupants of the houses around here have both spouses working, but fortunately I make enough so Rose doesn't have to work. She wants to stay home with the children until they're old enough for primary school."
"Primary school?" Hermione asked in surprise. She hadn't expected something so muggle to come from a Malfoy's mouth. A Malfoy! Attending muggle primary school! The thought was almost laughable.
"Yes," Scorpius replied with a small frown, suddenly unsure if he used the right term.
At that moment they all turned their heads as the sound of the door opening caught their attention. Rose entered the room a moment later, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, a smile on her face, and a small boy in her arms. "The doctor confirmed it!" she said without preamble.
Scorpius's expression turned into one of pure joy as he leapt to his feet and fist-pumped the air. "That's excellent! How are you feeling? Do you want to lie down? Should I draw you a bath? Would you like a cup of tea, Love? I already have it made..."
Rose was barely listening as she just noticed that they had company. "Hullo," she smiled at the two strangers.
"Rose, this is Mr. and Mrs. Williams, they're considering buying the house for sale and wanted to talk to a few of the residents in the neighborhood."
"It's lovely to meet you both," Rose was still beaming.
"Are you alright, Dear?" said Hermione fondly, not having forgotten the way Scorpius had been fussing over her a moment before, "Are you sick?"
"What? Oh! No!" Rose giggled, her eyes shining brightly, "I just found out that I'm pregnant."
"I hope that for once, we have a child who looks exactly like you," said Scorpius fondly as he put a hand on her flat abdomen.
"Well I hope he looks just like you!" she teased as she gave him a light kiss, momentarily forgetting their audience. "I'm sorry," she blushed as she glanced at the awkward couple sitting on the couch.
"You're fine," Hermione whispered as tears sprang to her eyes. Scorpius took his son from his wife's arms and kissed his forehead where his reddish blonde curls rested.
Little footsteps were heard prancing down the stairs and suddenly Adara appeared, her face a mess of colors. "Adara Jean!" Rose reprimanded, "Did you play with Mummy's make-up again?"
"Yep," said the girl, entirely unabashed, "now I'm as pretty as you are!"
Scorpius laughed heartily, as did Ron and Hermione, "Sweetheart," said Scorpius, "make-up is for grown-up ladies. You look beautiful without it."
"I'll go wash her face," said Rose who was still giggling, "I'll be right back, Mr. and Mrs. Williams!" Rose took Adara by the hand and led her back up the stairs.
"You two seem very happy together," commented Ron stiffly.
"We are," there was no doubt that Scorpius answered the question honestly.
"How did you two meet?" Hermione asked shrewdly, almost hoping to catch him in a lie. What was their cover story to the muggle population? Was he actually a lawyer or were they living off of his wizard fortune?
Without any hesitation, Scorpius launched into their well-rehearsed story, "My wife and I met at an orphanage, actually. When I was eleven years old, my parents died and as I didn't have any other relatives, that's where I ended up. Rose was already there. She never knew either of her parents, as she was given to the orphanage as a newborn. When I turned eighteen, I started law school, bought a house with the money my parents left for me, and then when Rose turned eighteen we got married and have been together ever since."
"That's so awful," said Hermione, who was only slightly offended that Rose had been lying to everyone about her parentage.
"Nah," Scorpius corrected her, "I can't imagine a life without her. As much as I miss my parents, Rose, Addie, Lux, and the new baby on its way are the only family I need."
"Lux?" asked Ron, gesturing to the boy who was now sleeping in Scorpius's arms.
"Pollux. Pollux Ronald Malfoy. Rose and I made a deal when we got married that I could choose our children's first names and she got to choose the middle names. My family had a tradition of naming children after stars and constellations."
"Your daughter," said Ron suddenly, "How old is she?"
"Ah, she'll be five soon. Next month, actually."
Hermione and Ron both paled. If Hermione's math was correct, and it always was, then Rose had been about two months pregnant when she'd run away from home. And after all of the terrible things they had said about Scorpius and Rose being together! Ron even threatened Obliviation! And she had been pregnant!
"He looks like you," said Hermione almost in disbelief as she gazed down at Pollux. "May I hold him?"
"Of course," Scorpius passed the infant to Hermione. "Do you two have any children?"
"Two," said Ron gruffly, "a daughter and a son."
"Even though these two run me ragged, I've always wanted to have a lot of children," said Scorpius fondly, "I didn't have any brothers or sisters, obviously, so I want my kids to have a big family."
"That's lovely," said Hermione sincerely.
"Anyway," Ron cleared his throat pointedly, "Do you like this area? Is it a good place to settle down, with children?"
"Absolutely. I couldn't think of any place I would rather be."
"Do you know anything of the people who lived there previously?"
"Yes, Rose and I were friends with the Tanners. They only moved to be closer to their family. It's a beautiful house, too."
"Will you be staying for dinner?" asked Rose as she reappeared with the little girl in tow.
"Oh, no, we were, ah, just leaving actually. We didn't mean to impose."
"No, not at all," Rose beamed at them and Hermione was surprised to find her looking so healthy and happy. She had been so certain that Scorpius would make her life miserable.
"We really must be on our way. Thank you so much your hospitality," Hermione said in a clipped voice. She couldn't take this anymore. She was about to start crying or having hysterics. Maybe even a full-scale panic attack.
Ron and Hermione practically ran from the house. "Well…what now?" asked Ron gruffly as he felt his skin start to shift back into his own freckly complexion.
"I don't know…I just don't know."