I think this one is a bit shorter than the previous chapters, but I packed some pretty heavy feels into it. ;) I love that you guys are totally into this story. That makes me so happy to hear such positive reviews! Thank you to every single one of my readers - you all make the story live! Enjoy!

Astoria and Scorpius both spent several weeks under intensive care from the mediwizards. Both were weak and extremely vulnerable, but getting stronger a little more every day. Draco barely ever left the bedroom—he wanted to be watchful of his new little family, considering he was the healthiest and could be ready to help, should something go wrong. He held Scorpius, rocked him, kept him warm. He never imagined the amount of love he felt when looking into the face of his newborn child—it was like something he'd never experienced before. Astoria got stronger a bit quicker than did Scorpius. She took to breastfeeding him often, and accepted warm soup her husband cooked for her. She and Draco already had a very close relationship, but having a baby to take care of together only brought them together more, if it was even possible. The medizards hovered about for most of the day, but the parents got plenty of alone time with their son to form a whole new bond between the three family members.

A few weeks later, Astoria was healthy enough to leave her bed. Scorpius was still a little too tiny, and just a tad underdeveloped. But he was stable, and that was all the parents (and the mediwizard) needed to know to call the Malfoys and ask to bring him to the Manor for a visit. Draco stood in front of the little fireplace as he waited for the powder to summon his mother. Narcissa's head popped into the flames. "Draco!" she cried out, beaming. "How are things? Is Astoria alright? What about my wonderful little grandson? Are you getting enough sleep every night, or are you worrying too much? Is—"

"Mother, everything's fine. Astoria's doing much better, Scorpius sleeps a lot because he's still growing, and I'm getting enough rest. I promise. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to have Scorpius come over to the Manor this week. He's more alert now and his eyes have opened, so you'll get to see him as a healthier baby."

"Oh, darling, I would love that. Bring him over tomorrow! I can't wait to see him any longer! It's been exceptionally challenging just sitting here wondering how my family is doing with hardly any communication. It's not your fault dear—sometimes those mediwizards do their jobs a bit too seriously. Please bring Scorpius over, and I would like to see Astoria too."

"Alright, Mother. Does noon sound alright?"

"It's perfect. I'll have lunch ready for you as soon as you arrive. Oh, and Draco? Don't worry about bringing anything; I've designated one of the spare rooms to be a nursery for the times Scorpius comes over. There's a crib, bottles, pacifiers, diapers, toys, bibs, baby food, a mobile, and blankets."

"Goodness, Mother, you certainly have been waiting for this."

"Of course! Idylla and I designed it all. By the way, tell Astoria that her family as a nursery now too. We had them match."

Astoria, who was sitting on the sofa, couldn't suppress a giggle. Narcissa waved to her from the fireplace. "Oh there she is! Hello my dear. You look beautiful as ever." she said. Draco laughed too. "Alright, Mother, we'll see you tomorrow then. I don't want to hold you up any longer."

"No trouble, love. I'll tell your father you're coming. He'd love to see his little grandson."

"Mother wait! Before you go! Can you please tell Kirry that we'll be arriving tomorrow? She said she would be waiting to see our child if we ever had one. I think she would enjoy the anticipation."

"You're so thoughtful, Draco. I'll tell her immediately."

The mother and son bid each other goodbye as Narcissa disappeared from the flames. Draco turned to face his wife. "No need to pack," he informed her, earning a rapture of giggles from that sweet voice.

The next day, Draco and Astoria arrived at the gates of Malfoy manner, holding little Scorpius in a tight bundle. The moment they entered the house, Narcissa had her arms around them both warmly. Astoria held the blankets out to her mother-in-law. "You may hold him if you'd like," she murmured, leaning against her husband for physical support. Narcissa was more than bubbly with this invitation. She squealed and talked a mile a minute to the little baby that simply watched her face with wide silvery eyes.

Lucius entered the sitting room, pleased to see his son. "Draco," he greeted formally. "I'm thrilled you have come. Astoria, it's wonderful to see you again too." But immediately his eyes were drawn to the blue softness in Narcissa's arms. They sparkled with delight—something Draco hadn't seen in quite some time. "And my little Scorpius…" he cooed, reaching out to stroke the tiny cheek with his index finger. Scorpius made a few babbles. Once the greetings were through, Narcissa eagerly brought the new parents up to her precious nursery. What she'd said in her firechat was completely an understatement—the room was a full-blown daycare center. It had absolutely every a child could need from newborn to kindergartener and then some. Astoria placed her child in the crib to watch what he did. He cried a little at the sudden separation, but then seemed to enjoy it when Lucius used his wand to make the mobile above him spin in repeating circles. Narcissa sighed happily. Draco turned to her while his wife and father were distracted with the baby. "Mother, forgive me for asking," he began. "But you seem so much happier now than I've ever, ever seen you. Is…is everything…alright, I suppose?" She smiled, then stroked his cheek lovingly. "What could I possibly have to be sad about? My perfect son married a wonderful girl, they overcame the hardships and granted me a beautiful grandchild—and an heir, at that—who is breathtaking, I have money to do whatever I want, I made a wonderful new family friend to play decorator with, and your father and I are…well…back to being as intimate as we were when we were young."

"Goodness, Mother, please don't go into detail about—!"

"Everything in my life is perfect now, Draco. Absolutely everything. We're not…we're not a broken family anymore. We've moved on. I'm free."

Draco knew what his mother meant by that last part. He nodded, smiling sadly at her. He kissed her soft cheek. "I'm so glad you're at peace now," he murmured. Lucius was speaking quietly to Astoria by the cradle; things seemed to be going well. "He's a little thing, isn't he?" the man remarked.

"Yes, but the doctors say that he'll grow fairly soon. He'll always be on the smaller side." Astoria answered.

"Because he was so premature…"

"Unfortunately,"

"Unfortunately? We only got to meet him sooner! I don't see it as a bad thing."

"Of course, Master Lucius, I just meant that he might feel self-conscious about it later in life."

"That's where his grandfather will come in and teach him how to be big and strong."

Astoria smiled at Lucius, and Draco was pleased to see his father turn his head to look at her and give her a smile in response. They let it linger for a moment. Lucius stepped away from the cradle and called out, "Kirry! Here!" Instantly, the wizened little house-elf appeared in the nursery. Her eyes went as wide as full-size dinner plates. "Master Draco sir!" she gasped. "Little Mistress! Kirry is most pleased to being see you pairs!" Draco smiled at her as he knelt onto the ground. "We're happy to see you too, Kirry." The small creature trembled a bit. "Master Draco sir, you is looking so big man! You is a grownup now! And…and Little Mistress isn't being so little anymore! Little mistress is looks like a women like Mistress Narcissa!"

"We've gotten a bit older since we last saw you, Kirry, that's true. It's been a little less than two and a half years." Draco murmured.

"Kirry is not knowing what to be said! Kirry is feel so happy Master Draco sir and Little Mistress has returning to see Kirry!"

"We have someone we'd like you to meet."

"Kirry is not being presentable to be met with anyone Master Draco sir is knowing. Master Draco sir be a very important man now, and should not being waste it with disgusting Kirry—"

"Kirry, wait, calm down. It's alright. He's not going to think low of you—he's going to really like you. Do you remember that time when I was talking to you all those years ago? When I told you all of my feelings and my fears and everything?"

"Kirry is never forgetting her times with Master Draco sir. Kirry remember that times as when Master Draco sir is telling that he want to marry Little Mistress to keeps her safe forever and ever!"

"That's right. And do you remember what you told me?"

"Kirry is tell Master Draco sir to be marry to her, and keeps her safe forever and ever, and makes lots of baby Master Draco sirs and Little Mistresses."

"…Would you like to meet him?"

Draco didn't think that Kirry's eyes could anatomically get any bigger, but they did. Her little jaw hung open to the floor, babbling useless words she could not find at the moment. Astoria lifted Scorpius from his crib. She knelt down beside Draco and held him out to the house-elf. "His name is Scorpius," she murmured gently. Kirry gaped at the baby as if frozen. "M-Master Draco sir…Little Mistress…maked a baby…" she whispered to herself. "It is being a little Master Draco sir….Kirry is allowed to being touch the baby, Little Mistress?" Astoria nodded with a smile on her face. "You can hold him if you'd like."

Draco watched as Kirry took the baby into her arms, still in complete shock, and had hot tears spring into her eyes. "Little baby is most beautiful…." she whispered. "Little baby is just like Master Draco sir and Little Mistress. Kirry is feel incredibly honored to hold such good baby." Draco glanced over at his wife. Astoria had tears in her eyes as she viewed this scene of complete and utter love. Narcissa had tears too; Lucius was smiling. Kirry rocked Scorpius for a long time, murmuring things to him, whispering to herself, asking questions about him, and trying to make sense of his babbles. When Scorpius was lulled to sleep in the house-elf's arms, she handed him back to Astoria. Before he was completely apart from her, she bent down and kissed his tiny forehead. "Kirry is adore little Master Draco sir." she breathed. Lucius helped put the baby back in his crib. All of them tiptoed out of the room to let Scorpius nap in peace.