Draco woke up with a small hand on his face. "Big monster wake up. Mum is crying in her sleep."
He stretched in while he woke up, "okay little monster you sleep here Ill go check on mum." The boy curled into the silver silk sheets and was asleep before Draco left his bedroom. He passed through the office when a portrait called to him "Malfoy!"
"Yes, Professor Lupin?"
"As much as I love to know she slapped you again you should be careful waking her it seems to be a very intense dream."
"Thank you" Draco Chuckled as he left the office. A low fire burned in the fireplace Hermione was asleep on the couch the photo album on her lap cheeks stained with tears.
"Wake up Lioness," she shifted, woke up halfway and asked, "What do you want you snake?"
"Are you awake enough to not slap me?" she mumbled a reply as he took the book from her lap and picked her up carrying her to her bed. "I love you too Draco." she curled into her blankets and fell into a much more peaceful sleep. "Sweet dreams" he softly kissed her head before leaving. He sat on the couch and picked up the photo album turning to the back where his favorite pictures were stuck. A snapshot of their small group the day Harold was born Hermione on the bed rocking her new baby Teddy on her lap to help hold him. Nevile, Hannah, and Draco on one side and Harry, Ginny, and Luna on the other. The next page held a copy of the flight lesson shot.
"You're a Lion you are not supposed to be scared of anything," Draco smirked down at the stands where Hermione stood looking up at them.
"I don't like heights, and a snake has my son on a broom." she was smiling, but her eyes looked terrified.
"Well if you can't trust that I won't drop him can you trust that if I do scar head will catch him."
"No" her answer came out with a small laugh
"I'm offended I was the youngest seeker of the century I can catch anything on a broom" Harry scoffed
"What about the lovely Lady scar head, can you trust her to catch him?"
"Just don't drop him then we won't have to worry about anyone catching him." The two former players and one professional flew around the pitch passing the Quaffle back and forth letting the little boys do most of the throwing while the adults did the catching.
That day sparked Harold's love of Quidditch he asked Draco the next morning to change the enchantment on his ceiling to a game rather than just blue sky and clouds. Draco smiled at the memory as he checked on Hermione and seeing that she was now sleeping soundly he started back to his living quarters lied down on his couch and fell asleep.
This time Draco woke to a scream he ran into Hermione's living quarters crushing into her.
"How did he get past the portraits? We have to find Ron now!" She was fuming with anger; he grabbed her shoulders to steady her.
"Whats wrong? I can't help till you tell me."
"I can't find Harold."
Draco let go of her shoulders and let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.
"calm down he is here, he woke up last night and saw you crying so came and got me, when I went to check on you he snuggled into my bed." He talked as he walked toward his room opening the door to show the small boy spread out sideways taking up the very middle of the kingsized bed. His worried mother finally breathed a sigh of relief as they shut the door to let him sleep.
"So do you remember what you were dreaming about?"
"I'll tell you between classes today, right now I'm going to get ready for the day. Do you mind me leaving him here while I go shower?" Draco shook his head
"Not at all I'll wake him in a bit and get him some breakfast."
Draco wondered into his room, Harold was sitting on his bed rubbing his eyes.
"Is mummy okay?"
"She is fine. Are you hungry?"
A few hours later Harold was safe at the Longbottom home while Hermione and Draco were teaching their sixth year class about dementors.
"Is it true Professor Granger that you could cast a Patronus at our age?"
"Yes, Hary Ron Ginny and even professor Longbottom were all part of a group that taught how to cast complicated spells including expecto patronum."
"Could you show us, Professor?" Hermione started to shake her head "That's part of Wednesday's lesson."
"Why are you so humble? She organized the group and Potter taught it. Come on Granger show off for the kids if nothing else it will keep them awake."
Moments later a silver otter swam around the room the students watched in amazement.
"Why is it an otter?"
"The animal is a representation of yourself; it takes the form you would be if you were a different animal. Its similar to transfiguration in that regard."
"What's yours, Professor Malfoy?"
"I haven't found a powerful enough happy memory to cast one" Draco replied coolly
"Whats your happy memory Professor Granger?"
"Its changed over the years when I first learned to cast it. I used the memory of my parents. They were sitting in the living room of our home my mother knitting and my father watching the telly. During the war, I was heartbroken by that memory, so I had to find another. It changed to one of my friends, and I am sitting in our common room laughing at a joke that I don't even remember. Now, however, it's currently of the day your lovely professor first took my son flying." Draco couldn't help but smile at this. After a few more minutes of discussion that Draco couldn't bring himself to pay attention to he dismissed the class. He cleaned up as she talked to one of the students regarding the homework. Once they were alone, he walked up behind her and wrapped his around her shoulders.
"So are you gonna tell me about your dream now?" Draco asked his voice barely above a whisper.
"Well, it started off so happy, I was in a bed St. Mongos it seemed like I had just had a new baby Harold and Teddy sitting on either side of me, James, Oakley, and Alice were on the bed with me too, but they were so much bigger than they are now." She laughed lightly at that before continuing. "Ginny was holding the new baby she with Harry behind her staring at and talking about his new niece. You, Ron, Blaize, and Neville, were sitting far away talking and Luna, Pansy, and Hannah were talking to me and telling the kids they had to be careful with the new baby when it was their turn to hold her." all the light left her face at once. "Then it went dark you guys all disappeared, and it was just me, Harold, and the new baby. Then Molly burst into the room and yanked Harold from me, and a blur yanked the baby from me. Then I could hear voices screaming; you kept Rons baby from him you don't deserve him or your new baby... could we expect more from a dirty little mud blooded whore... two kids from two fathers how could you slut...!" she broke down crying then and he held her till her sobs calmed a bit.
"Those things aren't right, Molly died years ago, and if she weren't gone, she would have thought of Harold as a grandchild even without knowing he was. Moving on and having another child with someone else does not make you a slut. Is that why you never moved on?"
"Yes and that I never found someone worth moving on for, however, I'm starting to think maybe I could move on with someone."
"Anyone I know?" his voice was calm and he was glad she couldn't see his face which he knew portrayed his nervousness. He felt her head nod against his chest, she looked up to meet his eyes, and before he could stop himself, he brought his lips down to meet hers.