It was the Friday before the Ball, and the Transfiguration classroom was dead silent, save for the occasional scratching of a pen.
For the entire day, Hermione had been nervous about returning home. She'd loaded her students witb a unit test, so Hermione had been free to do as she pleased.
There was no reason to watch her students, as all pens handed out for the quiz had been charmed for cheating. (Hermione's room was also covered in an Anti-Cheating spell of her own creatio. It hadn't failed yet.)
Now, grading her student essays, she was simply passing time until it was time to pick up the twins for the plane ride.
Hermione had wanted to fly to Britain the muggle way, as it was easier than getting an international portkey from the ministry. It was also preferable, as Scorpius hadn't handled their last two portkey trips very well.
"Mia?" Draco strolled into the class.
His usual suit was gone, replaced by jeans and a plain grey t-shirt. His reading glasses were hooked on the collar. She knew he had a silver chain with the Malfoy crest hidden underneath, as his family ring now belonged to her.
"Is it time?" She asks, already knowing the answer. She banished the papers into her office, and locks the door.
"The cases are in the trunk, and Scorp and Lyra are waiting." Draco says.
He's picked up the American terminology for the back of a car from his driving lessons, which Hermione had forced him to take when they moved to the states. She still considered it a boot, though.
She sighs. "Let's get this over with."
Draco grins, and pecks her on the cheek. "It's only for the weekend, love."
Hermione simply harumphs, and follows her husband out the door. She had already changed, from her usual slacks and blazer to a blouse and skinny jeans.
The twins were all set to leave and waiting patiently in the kindergarten class. Both were dressed to the height of child fashion to the eternal amusement of their mother. She'd given up years ago trying to persuade Draco to give up some of his ridiculously lavish tastes and he'd always replied with, "Malfoy's love lavish."
Malfoys loved a lot of things apparently, such as hand spun Chinese silk. Hermione had almost screamed when she found out.
"Lyra, Scorp, let's go." Draco says, and the twins obediently followed their father out to the car.
The airport was an interesting experience for Draco and the Twins. Their first time through security and customs in Britian left Hermione promising herself to prepare themselves better next time.
The family walked out of Heathrow towards the street. Hermione pulled out her wand (hidden with a Disillusionment and Anti-Muggle charms), and proceeded to hail the infamous Knight Bus.
The conductor, Stan Shunpike, started to jabber pefore noticing Draco. He turned as pale at the trademark Malfot hair and backed up.
"Children, on." Hermione hoisted both onto the Bus, and nudged her husband. "Lets go."
"W-Where to?" Stan mutters.
"Malfoy Manor. 18 Charing Cross, Wiltshire." Hermione stated, moving quickly to the back of the bus.
She picked up Scorpius, then braced herself against one of the standing bars. Draco did the same with Lyra, after shrinking all their luggage and dropping them into his pocket.
They were not a moment to soon, because in an instant the Knight Bus had taken off into the night.
The glow of London streetlamps disappeared a few minutes later as the Knight Bus started out towards the country. Scorpius began to nodd off, and Hermione threw a quick glance over at her husband, noticing that Lyra was out cold. How the two managed to sleep on a trip on the Knight Bus escaped her. After nearly 25 minutes, the Knight Bus shuttered to a stop before the gates to the Manor.
As soon as Draco was standing at the edge of the proerty, the Bus vanished back into the night. The hand that wasnt supporting his daughter rung a brass knocker set against the old brick wall on either side of the wrought iron gate.
A tiny pop echoed across the still street, and a House Elf appeared. "Master Draco! And the Young Miss!" The elf squeaked. "And Mistress and the Young Master!" She snapped her fingers, and the gate swung open. "Come, come! Master Lucius and Mistress Narcissa is waiting for yous, they is."
The family followed the elf towards the front door. The door once again swung open at a snap of elven fingers, and the group was lead into the front parlour.
"Tilly is taking the lugage, she is." The elf made grabby hands toward Draco, and the man dropped the shrunken cases into her waiting palms.
The elf vanished with a pop, no doubt going straight to Draco's old room.
"Welcome home, Draco, Hermione!" Narcissa gushed, giving each of her children a one armed hug around the sleeping kindergarteners.
"Its good to see you again, Cissa." Hermione smiles at her mother-in-law. "Hello, Lucius."
Lucius smiled at his son's wife, and promptly hefted her unconcious son from her arms. "You look dead on your feet, dear. Cissy and I will bring the children to their rooms."
Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Cissa silenced her with one look. "He's right, you know. Get some sleep."
"Thank you." Hermione allowed herself to be led to Draco's old room.
She quickly changed into the pajamas Tilly had left on the bed, and she was out like a light the minute her head hit the pillow.
Draco watched his wife, knowing but not quite fully understanding how hard it was for her to be back in England, to be going to the reunion ball.
He stripped, crawling under the duvet in only his boxers. Wrapping his body protectivly around his wife, he swore to himself that if her ex-friends tried to hurt her, they would discover a new meaning to the word hell.
After all, beginners dont run nationally recognized duelling clubs.
-/-
The couple had woken to sunlight streaming through the curtains and the smell of fresh brewed coffee.
Hermione blinked at a moving figure in the corner of the room, by a small table. In an instant, she was upright, her wand trained...
On a House Elf. The elf squeaked at the wand, before it's face turned into something that could only bee called disapproving. "Mani asks the Mistress Hermione to put the wand away. I is just making the master's breakfast."
Hermione rubbed her eyes, noticing the tiny creature and the food laid out on the table. "Oh, sorry. Habit." Hermione returns her wand to the side table.
"Mani understands, he does." The elf went back to fixing the meal as Draco rolls over, eyes opening blearily.
"'Mione?" He slurrs, his arms wrapped around his pillow. Draco's blonde hair stood in every direction, whether it be straight up or across his eyes.
Hermione rolled her eyes at her husband, swinging her legs out of bed, not even worried about cold stone floors. The magic of, well, magic. A well placed heating charm and you needn't ever worry about cold feet again.
The Elf, having finished his work, disappeared. The fragrance of the food started to swirl around, and soon the entire bedroom smelled like fresh waffles
It was Saturday, and the ball wouldn't start until that night. As the two adults stuffed themselves silly with food they had missed in America, Hermione contemplated how she was going to spend her day.
"Do it."
Hermione looked up at her husband, a questioning look thrown over the rim of her coffee mug.
"You've got your schemeing face on again." Draco explains, "Whatever youre planning, do it."
Hermione grinned. "I was thinking of taking the twins out to Muggle London. No chance of running into any old friends there."
Draco caught on instantly. "You want to make your arrival a surprise, you want an enterance."
The fire of mischief was blazing in their eyes.
"This is why I married you, you brilliant woman." Draco laughed, "Make Potter shit himself, the Great Hermione Granger back in England."
"The press will have a field day." Hermione took a bite of toast, "Panem et circues." She quoted.
"Let them eat cake." He quoted right back, and husband and wife, Gryffindor and Slytherin formed a plan so very, very Malfoy.
After all, thats what they were.