After owling Potter, they set up a time to meet at his house the following week. Draco rolled his eyes as he tried to get directions to Potter's house. Leave it to him to live in the Muggle part of London. Although it would never be for him, he did rather enjoy seeing the parts of the city that his parents never would have let him go to. Scorpius was also having fun, as he was enthusiastically pointing out every Muggle invention. It was a good thing he was still young enough to be enthralled by "normal" Muggle things, because otherwise his outbursts could be suspicious. Draco snorted. As interesting as Muggle technology may be, it would never make sense to him.

Finally arriving, Draco lifted Scorpius up to ring the doorbell and was surprised when Potter yanked open the door within seconds. "Hello, Potter!" Draco said cheerfully, feeling in a rather good mood after their trip. "Shhhh!" Potter hissed, looking panicked. At Draco's insulted and indignant expression, however, he laughed. "I didn't mean it like that, I promise," he whispered, "the baby is sleeping right now, and I don't want her to wake up!"

Shocked, Draco felt very foolish. "I'm sorry, Potter, I didn't realise she had come already. Did you send an owl...?" Potter shook his head and gestured them inside. "Come on in, I'll put up some silencing charms. She can't hear us, but I'll hear her when she wakes up." Looking down as if he'd just noticed him, Potter smiled at Scorpius. "Don't think I've forgotten about you! I made sure I had some of the biscuits you like on hand just for you." Scorpius smiled hugely, but tip toed as they entered Potter's home. He was very conscious that his idol just asked them to be very quiet.

Draco had never been in Potter's home before, and he was surprised by its modest size and tasteful decor. It absolutely looked like a single man with limited interest had decorated it, but it wasn't awful. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that Potter was not the silly, attention seeking boy that he once was (or Draco imagined him to be). "Why was I even surprised that you live in Muggle London, Potter?" he asked, once they were safely in a magically quieted sitting room. Potter laughed. "Honestly, Malfoy, living here makes my life so much easier. No Daily Prophet reporters outside my door, no nosey neighbours who know my history. Just good, quiet people who like me because I'm a person, not a hero. Besides" he smirked, "it weeds out those who really want to come see me. You'd be surprised at how many people refuse to visit when they can't Apparate right to your doorstep."

Draco laughed, knowing exactly what that was like. Living inside of Hogwarts did not grant him many visitors either. Potter looked back at Draco and Scorpius with an appraising eye. "I'm amazed! Two Malfoys who look very dashing in their Muggle clothes! You would fit in seamlessly with the locals." Draco looked stricken, but Scorpius was beaming. "Thank you, Mr Harry Potter! This is my favourite kind of clothes. I picked the blue shirt today, but sometimes I like red or green. And those are Daddy's favourite trousers! We wear these clothes at home all the time. They're comfy." Draco went cold. His son did not just tell Harry Potter his secret love of wearing Muggle clothes. Not a chance. He had, after all, a reputation to protect, one that included billowy robes and a strict adherence to school dress code.

Potter looked at Scorpius indulgently, enjoying their continuing conversation, but every so often he glanced up at Draco, looking both amused and analytical. Draco sat back, knowing that both parties were having fun. He loved watching Scorpius interact with other people, especially those he didn't get to see very often. He sometimes worried that the boy would be too withdrawn from living with so many busy people, and no one his age to play with. However, when given the chance, he took very well to social situations, especially with Potter, who seemed to have a way with his son.

After a while, Potter suggested that they have some tea and biscuits and discuss the favour that Draco had mentioned in his owl. While Draco was settling Scorpius down with his snack, he noticed Potter checking a little device on his desk from time to time. Noticing his look, Potter explained, "it's a baby monitor. If she makes a noise, it will come through louder on here. She's just in the other room, but I don't want her to be alone for too long. Silly, I know, but I never want her to feel neglected or afraid. Also, I want to show her off!" He laughed.

"Anyway," he said, sitting down across from Draco, "what can I do for you and McGonagall?" Draco hardly knew where to begin, especially if he was trying to be persuasive. He wasn't very good at making a good argument. Intimidation and threats he had down to an art, but not logical reasoning.

"Well," he began, "McGonagall has asked me to implore you to come to Hogwarts as a permanent member of staff. You seem to enjoy your role as visiting lecturer, and she was hoping that you would be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." These monthly presentations were usually impromptu and greatly anticipated by the students, and were the entire reason that Draco and Potter had any interaction after the trials. It was also where he and Scorpius had forged such a strong friendship.

Potter looked a bit quizzical. "Isn't there already a Defence teacher? And besides, I'm hardly qualified, other than lots of personal experience." He lapsed into a thoughtful silence. "I'd always wanted to be an Auror, but after the war I decided that I had enough of that life. All I wanted was some peace and quiet. I did really enjoy teaching the DA in fifth year, though."

Draco, who knew a bit about the group, nodded helpfully. "I never thought that I would want to be a teacher, but Hogwarts became more of a home to me than anywhere else. I also really enjoyed Potions. Snape wasn't entirely unfair in his favour of me in that class." He laughed. "I was pretty good, as hard as it may be to believe."

Potter smiled. "I knew you were good, you were just so smug about it. My main concern, though is... how can you deal with it? With living there? So much happened in that school, and we lost so many people. We both did." He looked hard at Draco, needing him to understand that he wasn't blaming him or trying to separate them. "How can you walk those halls, some still bearing the scars of the battle, and not remember?"

Draco thought for a moment before he answered. "It's hard. Bloody hard. Sometimes I have bad days, and there are still some places I'd rather not go. But what I did was make new memories. Teaching Scorpius how to walk all through the halls, going to difficult places when I'm happy, and remembering what it was like when I first got there." Potter grimaced a little, involuntarily. "Not what I was like, mind you," he quickly added, "but what it felt like to suddenly be part of something so much bigger than yourself, not just limited to your family or their expectations."

Potter smiled nostalgically, and promised to think about it. At that moment, the little device on the desk made a whimpering noise. Scorpius, who had been playing quietly with the toy cars that Potter had provided, looked at it in alarm. "Oh!" Potter smiled, jumping up, "that means she's awake now! Would you like to come see my new baby?"

He led them quickly into a hallway, looking at them apologetically. "Please excuse the state of her room. I was not expecting her until next week, so it's not very set up." Draco waved off the apology, and asked when she had arrived. "Just two days ago, now. She was born two days before that to a single mother, but she died shortly after the birth, unfortunately." He looked genuinely sad, so Draco lightened the mood by asking if he got to name her, and if he had any help from the owls. "I did!" Potter said brightly, then laughed. "Been reading my interviews, have you, Malfoy?" Draco turned a bit pink.

Reaching the end of the hall, Potter opened a door to their left. Through the open door to their right, Draco saw a messy bedroom taken up almost entirely by a rumpled bed. He smiled, realising that he was right in school about Potter not being very neat. Entering the room, he saw a small crib and many piled boxes. The walls were bare, save for one picture frame over the only other piece of furniture, a blue rocking chair.

From the crib Potter lifted a small, pink and yellow bundle that was cooing softly. Cradling her, he went over to the window and opened the blinds. "Come see her!" he entreated excitedly. "Do you want to see the baby, Scorpius?" Both father and son walked over cautiously, peering at the chubby face and little waving hand of the newborn baby. Smiling at her, Draco remembered what Scorpius was like at that age, and felt drawn to the helpless infant. "She's perfect, Potter," he said, "what did you name her?"

Potter smiled faintly. "You know what? I actually took the advice of one of the letters! It amazes even me, especially because I said that as a joke, but this person got it bang on. Wrote anonymously, so I don't know who to thank, but I appreciate it all the same. Look." He gestured to the frame over the rocking chair, which contained a plain piece of parchment with a few words scrawled on it.

Ariadne Cassiopeia

Ariadne means "most holy," and is a rare kind of lily.

Cassiopeia was a beautiful queen of ancient Ethiopia, who was turned into a constellation at her death.

Draco's vision went fuzzy for a moment, as Potter began explaining why it fit the baby so well, but he already knew. Thank Merlin he had thought to use a generic dictation quill, but this was too close for comfort. After hearing Scorpius and Neville chatter on about this type of lily, he knew that it would be a perfect name for Potter's child. The first name honoured his mother without using her exact name. The middle name was a good, strong Malfoy name, used for generations, but it also flowed well with the first name. And, Draco thought, it tied in nicely with Potter's fame and immortalisations in various forms, including books, magazines, plays, and even an enormous statue. From the various things he heard as he tried to act casual, Potter agreed with his reasoning.

As they were leaving, Potter promised to owl soon with his decision about the job offer. Scorpius was sad to go, as he seemed to greatly enjoy playing with the baby. Draco, however, was having a hard time focusing on anything else. Bloody hell, he just named Harry Potter's new baby.