Lost and Found

Chapter XX

Meeting the Malfoys

When Draco and Hermione arrived back at Hogwarts, the school was in its crazy lunch routine. As it was a weekend the students were running back and forth, talking loudly to each other everywhere.

This all came to an abrupt halt as the couple made their way down to the Great Hall. Hermione was still clutching on to Eris, or Ali as Draco was now calling her, and he had Scorpius in his own arms. All together they might have seemed like your picture-perfect, though young, family, but the student body wasn't taking it so well.

With everything going on in their lives (their kids, mostly), Hermione hadn't really been paying to much attention to the world around her. As a result, she had never really patched things up with Ron or Harry.

As said before, Hermione was very busy with her new life, but thinking of it now, she knew there was a gapping hole that her boys had left behind them. So now, since nothing seemed to pressing anymore, Hermione was going to take action.

The first time they had ever seen her son was the start of first term and that was dreadfully far away. Scorpius had doubled, if not tripled, in size since then. He was growing up entirely to fast for anyone's liking, especially hers.

Alana, who was slightly smaller than her brother, was bright eyed now, examining the new world around her. She was just big enough to hold her little body up, staring at the various people in the corridors. The two of them had not attracted this much attention in weeks.

When the doors to the Hall finally appeared, Hermione sucked in a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. Draco glanced down at her and murmured, "Are you ready for this?"

She nodded and pulled the gigantic door open enough for the two of them, and hurried inside. The students settled at their tables were equally as startled by this sight as the others in the corridors, even the teachers looked shocked.

Though a bit clumsy, Hermione made it to the Gryffindor table safely. Her house members were raising eyebrows at her and others were whispering furiously. Slowly she approached Harry and Ron. Ginny, Neville, Seamus, and all the rest were sitting close as well.

The occupants turned slightly, just as curious as the rest, and opened their mouths. Ron snapped his jaw shut quickly, starring at the floor. Harry, looking absolutely furious, started to speak, "What do you want, Hermione?"

"Harry, Ron… Everyone," she tried, but the words did not want to come. "I wanted to apologize for all of the wrongs I've done to you. I just wanted to say I was sorry." Hermione let her eyes drift to the floor, resisting the urge to cry, waiting on someone to speak.

"We've missed you Hermione," Ginny said after a few minutes, "all of us."

With that, Hermione gulped down a fresh breath of air and looked up. "Can you ever forgive me? I wish I could have told you in the beginning, and I should have."

"We couldn't really stay mad at you," came Neville's weak voice. He was followed by most of her other friends, all except the ones that mattered most.

When Harry finally said something it came out in an angry burst. "How could you? You knew he was going to do something horrible! You knew what he was planning, but you went behind our backs. I thought you were our friend?" Then, he too, went quiet.

"The heart works in mysterious ways, Potter," Draco answered calmly.

Ron suddenly exploded in a fiery blaze, screaming at him. "Shut up Ferret. What do you know about love? Hermione was supposed to be with me. Not a slimy git like you!"

"Ronald, stop it! If you cannot accept my apology fine, but do not insult my fiancé. If you can't get over this you will lose me and my children. How do you feel about that?"

When no one replied she continued, "I wanted to make things better between me and my friends; I want you in my life. But I will not have my son and daughter around people that care more for the past than for the present. Good-bye!"

Hermione grabbed Draco's sleeve and tugged him out of the large room, appetite completely gone. She huffed all the way back to their common room, shouting out at anyone who crossed her. She grabbed the closest thing to her, which happened to be Scorpi's swing, placed the baby in it, and stomping off to glare at the wall.

Draco shot a nasty glare towards her, preceding to scoop his daughter in his other arm. Upstairs he settled both of the babies in Scorpius's crib. For a moment he thought that this set up might work. Apparently not.

Ali let out a piercing scream, followed by a not so happy noise from her brother. Draco turned back around quickly and witnessed another sharp jab of Scorpi's foot. Before the war could turn any nastier he reached in and grabbed the little girl.

The moment she was touched, Ali's bright chocolate eyes turned to him and she smile. Down below, though, Scorpius was pouting at the lack of attention. "Like father, like children, eh?" came a soft from the door.

Hermione walked into the room, a snow white diaper bag on her arm. She raised her red-rimmed eyes to look at him and whispered, "I thought you might need some help."

"Yes," he said looking down at the smiling baby in his arms.

"Well, you do know that your mother sent Ali's crib don't you? She sent the whole set actually."

"Oh…" was his reply.

Hermione worked quickly, pulling out tiny boxes and re-growing them to their regular size. Inside were all the things a baby expert could come up with, and many unnecessary additions. All in all it took nearly twenty minutes to get everything enlarged, and ten more to organize it all.

When everything was put right, Hermione put the slumped against the wall. Draco was in the rocking chair. The twins were both asleep now, luckily enough. They all seemed to be dead on their feet.

Hermione slowly made her way over too him and curled into his lap. As he held her in his arms the world went out of focus and he was left swimming through dreams.

***

A loud BANG jolted Hermione out of a rather pleasant dream. Her eyes snapped open. Panic stricken, she through herself off of Draco and pulled out her wand. His eyes were open too. Wand out, the two of them made their way to the door.

The hall seemed clear, as did the other bedroom. Draco went first into the common room and motioned for her to stay back. For a moment she stood against the nursery door, until she heard a very angry shout, "Weasley? What did you do to the sofa?"

Hermione slid into the utterly horrid scene. A disgruntled Harry was leaning against the far wall, Ginny was scowling angrily, wand pointed to a lump on the floor, and the couch blasted into a million tiny pieces. Suddenly the lump began to move.

Ron picked himself off the floor and dusted off his clothes. Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the sight, and without another thought went to help Ron. Together they managed to get most of the debris off of him.

Then Hermione turned to Ginny and asked, "What did you do to the couch?"

Ginny shook her head, but managed a smile. "Bye, Hermione! Draco."

"Can we leave?" came a ragged voice from the corner. Hermione glanced up and looked at Harry. His emerald eyes held a tired look, not angry, just tired.

With a sigh she replied, "Neither of you have to be here." A sharp cry from above drew her attention away for the moment. Draco left quickly to check the babies. "You're more than welcome to stay."

"Dinner, Ron?"

Ron looked at Harry, then back at Hermione. Draco came back down that minute and tapped Hermione's shoulder, "Where are the diapers, love?"

"I'll do it. The company is leaving anyway," she sighed. With that she turned her back on the boys and went to work changing yet another dirty diaper.

"Are you coming to dinner, Hermione?"

"Well… er… I don't think so Ron. It is easier up here, you know? Especially with Ali and Scorpi."

Draco leaned over her suddenly and whispered into her ear, "If we sit together it should be fine, Mione. We can go if you want."

She turned to him, brown eyes round and terrified. "I don't know if I can."

"We can, Hermione. We can do anything."