Hermione let Teddy paint her face with a Christmas tree as she sat on the sofa at the Burrow. The boy ran off with his cousins, and the adults were drinking eggnog and talking about Christmas morning. Sirius hooked the witch under his arm as Remus was absentmindedly running his hand over her thigh. The Potters were sitting on the loveseat as Angelina was sitting in the armchair next to Fleur.
"You said he is glued to her?" Angelina giggled and raised an eyebrow at the blond next to her.
Sirius chuckled and gave a nod, "If he is awake and does not have a distraction he is her little guardian."
"If we so much as make her flustered… he scolds us," Remus snickered, and Hermione covered her lips and agreed.
"It is beyond cute," she murmured, and Ginny giggled.
"He iz very zpecial," Fleur voiced, and Angelina bobbed her head.
Arthur came into the room and was frowning and looking around, "I swear I put it down somewhere…"
"If you are looking for a small box, Fred took it up the stairs, Arthur," Remus muttered as he pointed up. "Whatever the contents, the boys were very interested in it."
The older Weasley scowled profoundly and folded his arms, "It is filled with little enchanted animal figures. I told them not to touch it without my assistance; I hope the boys have not been bit yet. They are getting worse than George and Fred." The patriarch grumbled as he walked up the stairs, "Edward, Freddrick, you bring me that box." He disappeared shouting.
Hermione stifled a giggle and shook her head, "Oh, I really hope this little one doesn't act so naughty."
Sirius waggled his eyebrows, "Well, it is my child after all."
Ginny raised an eyebrow, and Fleur covered her cheeks, "Are you expecting, 'ermione?"
The front door opened, and the marauders deflated, "Happy Christmas!" Draco snickered and brought in a sack.
He had his own group; Severus was scowling as he followed, and Astoria came in last. Hermione gasped and sat up. "Astoria, you came!" the pregnant witch shouted and made Ginny make a face at the marauders.
The witch tilted her head and smirked, "Hermione, you are looking well."
Hermione walked over and greeted them, "Draco, what did you bring?"
He gave her a toothy grin, "I brought gifts, you twit."
She kissed his cheek and pointed toward the tree, "You can place it there for now. We are just talking about the children."
Astoria laughed and walked over to the witch, "You have to tell me, it must have been quite different coming here for Christmas as a child. I matured with very stale holidays."
Hermione assisted the Greengrass into the sitting room and glanced around at the silent group, "Everyone this is Astoria Greengrass. Astoria, you remember Ginny, Harry, and there are Angelina and Fleur." She paused and smirked at her marauders, "These are my loves right here; Sirius Black and Remus Lupin."
The group greeted her as Draco wandered over and Snape took temporary residence at the other end of the room. "Severus, you are more than welcome to come sit with us," Harry offered, and the potion master sneered and shook his head.
"I think not, Potter. I am just here as an escort for Mr. Malfoy and Miss Greengrass. Narcissa was obvious she did not want anything… inappropriate to befall the girl."
Hermione shot a playful glare at Draco, "What did you do, Malfoy?"
"My mother was concerned with Astoria meeting you… I suppose I spoke about your questionable sanity a few too many times."
Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes, "Well, leave it to Draco to exaggerate as always."
Astoria nodded and stifled a giggle as the two witches sat down in the empty space on the large couch. "He does have quite the flare for dramatics."
Ginny frowned and pointed at the Malfoy, "You came to Christmas dinner with your future wife?"
Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise at his wife, "I would have thought you would have been thrilled, Gin."
The Marauders were glancing at each other and Draco smirked at them, "This feels cozy, was I interrupting?"
Sirius made a face and nudged the Malfoy, "This space was reserved."
Astoria rolled her eyes and sighed, "I imagine they have bickered plenty. Draco seems to bring that out in people."
Draco feigned a pout, "I never provoke an argument with you, Astoria."
Teddy ran down the stairs in front of Fred, "Mione! Mione, tell him that we are going on vacation after the new year. Fred doesn't believe me."
Fred shook his head, "Nope. You shouldn't fib, Teddy."
The boy had bright red hair and folded his arms in front of her. "We are going to plan one, but Teddy you shouldn't brag about that. We don't know yet." Hermione mildly scolded the boy.
Remus reached out and grabbed his son, "Don't you worry about it, I will convince her."
Teddy grinned wildly and hugged his dad, "Thanks, dad."
Molly popped her head out of the kitchen, "You boys come in here and get some hot cocoa."
The young children took off, and Ginny raised an eyebrow, "Where are Victoire and James?"
As if summoned, the little Potter was following the blond Weasley down the stairs. He was in a dress and Victoire had given him a hat and smeared his face with paint. "You look so pretty, James."
Hermione covered her mouth, and Astoria giggled, "James!" Harry choked, and Victoire smirked as they finished descending.
"He wanted to play, so I gave him one of my dresses, and we played with my new tea set," the girl giggled, and James nodded.
"It's fun, tea with Queen." James nodded, and the girl glanced at her mother who was glaring.
Fleur started scolding her daughter in French and waving a finger at her as Bill walked in with Ron. The Weasley men paled and shook their heads. "Victoire, go clean him up in the kitchen now!" Bill growled as Fleur waved her off.
"Oh, alright!" The girl dragged the little Potter into the kitchen and Hermione bit down on a laugh.
"She is going to be trouble," she murmured, and Bill groaned.
"A complete ballocks buster," He grumbled, and Ron glared as he noted the Malfoy.
"What is he doing here?" Ron questioned.
Draco waved with a bright grin, "Happy Christmas, Weasley!"
Hermione rubbed the bridge of her nose with her finger and thumb, "Please be normal, just once, Draco."
Astoria rolled her eyes and waved at the Malfoy, "You should behave yourself, Draco Malfoy. She invited us."
Ginny gave Ron a nod, "Come sit and be pleasant, Ronald."
Hermione stood up and tilted head, "Come take a walk with me, Astoria?"
The Greengrass seemed surprised but nodded, "Alright, Hermione. We shall return," she told the room and followed the older witch outside.
Draco frowned and shook his head, "I am not sure I like that."
Ron and Bill took seats in the empty chairs nearby, "Why is she acting all friendly to your girlfriend, Draco?" Ron snapped, and the Malfoy shrugged his shoulders.
"Ask her boyfriends," he spat, and the marauders groaned in unison.
"Beats us, Draco. She has been a puzzle to us from the beginning," Remus grumbled, and Sirius nodded.
"She has been an enigma since our return."
"How is the baby doing?" Draco asked them with a smirk, and the air in the room grew thick.
Ron turned scarlet, "Hermione is pregnant? Please tell me you are not the father, Malfoy!"
Draco shrugged, and Sirius shoved him, "You are lucky I don't hex your slimy blond hair, cousin."
Bill raised a finger and pointed to the three on the couch, "She's pregnant, and she didn't plan for it?"
"That would be my lovely wife's fault," Harry growled as Ginny covered her face.
"So now we don't know who the father is," Draco snickered, and the marauders grew visibly uncomfortable.
"She is seeing both of them now that she isn't seeing Malfoy?" Ron was baffled and shocked. "The dream…" it was like something invisible smacked him in the face.
Harry tilted his head, "You knew about her dream?"
Ron rubbed his face, "She bolted out of bed in the middle of the night the morning before she broke it off with me. Ranting about Sirius and Remus before taking off in a frantic mess to see Malfoy."
The marauders glanced at each other, and Draco grinned and slung his arms over them, "Told me that she was shagging you both like rabbits before she woke up from her heady dream. I thought she had too much chocolate before bed, but I figured if she was determined there must be some method to her madness."
The Potters made faces at each other and Harry folded his arms, "I just don't understand why she didn't tell us."
"She told me," Ginny said and nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry snapped, and Ginny snorted.
"And let you think she is battier than Bagshot? Harry, she was fanatically looking how to bring her fantasy boyfriends back from the dead… you tell me if you would believe her."
Severus moved toward the front door, and Draco frowned, "Where are you going?" he asked the potion master.
"To go check on Miss Greengrass, Mr. Malfoy…" he grumbled and left the house.
Ron was still frowning and pointed to the older wizards on the couch, "Let me get this straight… this dream of hers was real? You both came back and are- you are-" he couldn't finish, and Draco laughed.
"They are both shagging her like randy teenagers," Draco said joyously.
Sirius shoved him, and Remus grunted as the blond pushed into him, "Knock it off, Pads. He is just trying to get a rise out of you."
"I am shocked they were even able to climb out of bed," Draco said, and the werewolf narrowed his gaze. Remus pushed Draco off the couch, and the blond fell to the floor with a scowl, "That was rude Lupin. I thought we all were supposed to get along?"
"This is going to be a long night," Remus muttered, and Bill shrugged his shoulders.
"Honestly, it is just like Hermione to have her pick of father potentials for her child. It actually doesn't surprise me."
"Well, it was a surprise for us," Sirius declared, and Harry chuckled.
"What a happy Christmas indeed."
Later that night…
Hermione sat there and looked at the gift Draco had given her. It was menacing and a bit nerve-racking to see something she did not realize she needed. The book was tattered but had shimmering gold on the cover. She was in her room as Remus put his son to bed and Sirius was showering… in the privacy of her own thoughts, she recalled the last time this book was in her hands.
"The last time I opened it… it told me I was going to die," she sighed heavily and ran her fingers over the etchings.
She flipped it to midway, and it was as if her recollection was leading her straight to the page. It gave her the feelings of déjà vu, and her fingers trembled as she started to translate the words in her mind. All this time the Veil scared her. How many times did they lapse? How many times did she bring them back just to lose them? Her finger stopped. Her heart paused. She realized what she was reading, and it churned her very soul.
"What?" her voice shuttered as she read the inscription.
"Kitten, come get some tea?" Sirius asked as he came into the room.
He saw her pale expression and noticed the book, "What are you doing?" he questioned, and she covered her mouth.
"Sirius…"
The animagus sat down, and she put the book aside, clinging to him. "What's wrong?"
"Sirius, I don't know if I can fix this without dying…" she whispered, and he grew rigid.
"You can't die, we won't let you," he breathed, and she tucked herself against his neck.
"If I do, you cannot bring me back, Pads. You have to promise me that if it happens, you let the lapse end."
"I cannot promise you that, Hermione." He kissed her hair and added, "Remember, we love you too much."
"I love you both more. That's why you need to take care of our son."