Thyme, parchment and ink - Another 3 years later
Once again he returned home. It's not that he didn't like his parents' house. He hoped that after so many years of graduating from Hogwarts, he would be living on his own. He thought his wife and at least two red-haired children would be by his side. Ron dropped his bag on a nearby couch. He didn't even notice an owl flying into the house, bringing a daily new issue of the Daily Prophet.
He only realized it when an angry owl tried to get his attention. He didn't have to pick up the newspaper to notice what was on the front page. An article announcing the return of Draco and Hermione Malfoy to the United Kingdom.
He felt his breath catch in his throat as he saw her pregnant belly caressed tenderly by the former Slytherin. He felt as if he was paying for the mistakes of the past again and again. Wiping away the tears streaming down his cheek, he sat down and began reading an article about a witch who was first his friend, then girlfriend, and then turned stranger.
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She winced as she felt her son's kick. She wondered why he liked to kick her in the same spot over and over again. She hoped her husband wouldn't notice that. He was even more attentive than when she was carrying their daughter. As she tried to get up from the bed located in Draco's former bedroom, she heard first a crack and then heard quick, nervous footsteps approaching the door.
"What happened?" - he asked almost as soon as he burst into the room. Despite the pain Hermione felt, she smiled seeing the confusion on her wizard's face. - "Tipsy said you weren't feeling well..."
"Tipsy is a young elf and takes over her first task. She's supposed to be Scorp's companion." - Hermione tapped the bed next to her, giving him a clear indication to sit down. She waited a moment, and when he was by her side, she intertwined their hands together. - "Your son keeps kicking my kidneys. You don't even know how happy I am that I'm about to give birth soon."
Draco finally relaxed, she was sure of it when she heard his soft chuckle. - "My mother is also looking forward to having another baby in our family. She want to have grandchild who she could spoil like father spoils Rose. She is his little princess. I bet it's because he always wanted a daughter too. His granddaughter makes up for this lack. But wait... Did you say Scorp? So you're okay with Scorpius?"
She sighed as she realized she had ruined the surprise she was preparing for him. - "Yes. After all, we are following the Black family tradition."
At that moment, they both heard Lady Malfoy's voice. - "In the case of Rose, you decided not to follow this tradition." - Hermione looked up to see Narcissa standing in the doorway with a sleeping Rose cuddled up to her.
"On the contrary, mum. For Rose, I chose a name that is a flower. Just like a flower is your name."
Hermione looked at her family and knew she might not have had it had it not been for Weasley's infidelity. Thanks to his decisions, she had the opportunity to look beyond the small circle of friends she once had. She had found friendship in Pansy Parkinson-Goyle and family in the Malfoys.
And above all, love in the arms of Draco Malfoy.
And although she knew that in another world, in another dimension, she could be happy with people who had once been like family to her, she was convinced that she was in the right place, in the right arms, and with the right wizard.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks and hugged her belover. Without a word he wrapped his arms around her so that once again she felt safe. She will never regret agreeing to the proposal he made to her almost exactly six years ago.
He was always hers. She became his. And nothing will change it.