Thanks to J.K. Rowling for creating Harry Potter.
Thanks to camnz for encouraging me to write.
Thanks to all the readers who have reviewed this story!
Chapter Four- Family
"Rise and shine! Grand-maman and Grand-papa are waiting downstairs, so let's get dressed!" Hermione bustled around the kids rooms, opening the blinds with her wand to groans as the sun hit their eyes. "What sleepyheads you are! You're usually the first ones up! Reveillez-vous!"
While she waited for the children to come tumbling out of their beds, she spun slowly in the playroom. It was lovely. The morning sun was filtering through the fir trees into the ceiling-high windows that viewed the Malfoy gardens. Hermione had redesigned the place from the dark, dismal nursery it had been when Draco was a child. He had owned every toy a child could desire, magical books, and the latest broomstick, but also had bars on his small nursery windows and a house-elf to raise him. It was a lonely existence. Narcissa did love her son, but basically the Malfoy philosophy was to toughen their son, not coddle him. They had kept Draco hungry for affection and approval so they could control him. Hermione firmly believed in coddling when small, then setting them free when they were older. She vowed to love her children no matter how they turned out, and so far so good; they were simply delightful.
Scorpius and Cassiopeia each had their own tiny rooms (well, tiny for Malfoy Manor) that branched off from the playroom. Orion and Leo shared a larger room. The last bedroom was a sweet nursery that each child had lived in for a time, warm and comfortable, full of stars and twinkling lights. Hermione rubbed her protruding belly. In another month or so, a new baby would rest in this room, well, maybe in three months' time. Usually, their babies first slept in their parents' suite. It sometimes made sleeping difficult, but Hermione believed it was essential for bonding.
"Come, Children!" Hermione chanted, "I'm ready to start the day!"
Leo, the four year old, was the first one out, running into her arms and giving his mum a smack on the cheek, but Cassie, the seven year old, was the first one dressed.
"Does this dress look pretty, Mum? Will Grand-maman like it?"
Hermione inspected her daughter's blue dress and gave her approval. She didn't usually care what her children wore, but Narcissa certainly did. Next came Orion, his white blond hair mussed. He was such an adorable five year old that Hermione tried to give him a kiss, but he squirmed to get away. She kissed Leo again instead.
"Mummy, I had a dream about flying!" announced Leo.
"Flying on a broom?" asked Orion with interest.
"No, I was flying on my blanket." Leo held up his favorite blanket.
Orion hooted.
"In the book One Thousand and One Nights, Aladdin flies on a magic carpet," Hermione told the boys. Cassie raised her eyebrows.
"That sounds fun," Cassie said with a smile at Leo. Orion hooted again.
"Mummy, can you make my blanket fly? Please?" begged Leo.
"We'll see, Leo. Breakfast and school first. Come on, boys, let me help you get dressed." Hermione took the boys by hand and led them back to their room to put on their clothes and comb their hair.
"Scorpius! You'd better be up and dressed for breakfast by the time Orion and Leo are done! Make your bed, too! Cassie, if your bed is made, you can read."
Opposite the floor length window was a small library reaching to the ceiling. A magical ladder enabled the children to reach any book without falling. The bookcases were filled with Muggle children's books. All of Hermione's childhood favorites and even some newer releases made it into the library, but not many magical children's books were included. Of course, The Tale of Beedle the Bard was there, but most of the wizard classics were too dark for Hermione's tastes, darker than Grimm, and the more recent popular wizard children's books were too badly written.
Wizards could learn a lot from Muggles if they were a little less prejudiced. How sad that most magical children had never heard of Beatrix Potter, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Roald Dahl, or C.S. Lewis! The Malfoy children would cherish treasures like Wind in the Willows, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. Hermione had charmed the Muggle books so the illustrations came to life for a moment after the page was finished. It was a charm she intended to share with the readers of her parenting magazine.
When Hermione came out of the boys' room with Orion and Leo, she found Scorpius and Cassie seated with a book. Hermione's heart burst with pride at her two oldest children reading together. She loved that her children were companions for one another.
"Children, I'm leaving today for awhile. I'm visiting Harry Potter. So after breakfast, I want you to work on your lessons until 11:00; then you can play. Daddy will be at work, but you can ask Penny or Scorpius or Grand-maman for help if you need it."
"Mummy, can my lesson be art today?" asked Cassie. "I have new watercolors to try."
"Mum, can my lesson be wizard chess?" asked Scorpius. "I could play a game with Grand-papa."
"Mummy, can my lesson be reading?" asked Orion. "I can read to Leo."
"Mummy, can my lesson be reading?" asked Leo. "I want Orion to read Aladdin to me."
Hermione chuckled. "That may be a book I read to you, Leo. I'll leave a list of schoolwork and chores for each of you to check off. When you finish the list, you can choose what you want to do next."
She organized a few math, penmanship, and reading materials for the children on their school desks, gave Scorpius extra Muggle history to read, made sure that their quills (and pencils for the little ones) were sharp, then dashed down the stairs with the children for breakfast. After her visit with Harry, she would do either an art project, science experiment, or cooking lesson with her little class. Cooking in the kitchen was the best introduction to potions, she believed. Also, it was practical in case they ever needed to cook without elves, although she would never mention that to the house elves. It upset them.
"Mummy, don't forget that today the music tutor is coming. We have French today with Grand-maman too." Cassie reminded her as they entered the Malfoy dining room.
"Right. Grand-maman can give you your French lesson while I am gone. I should be back before the music tutor arrives, but if I'm not, what should you do to make him feel welcome?"
"Shake his hand and welcome him to the Manor," responded Scorpius.
"Sit quietly and pay attention," added Orion.
"Try our best," suggested Cassie.
"Smile," grinned Leo.
"Excellent. You will be fine. Though maybe we should practice the music lesson once more before I leave," Hermione worried.
"Good morning, Astoria. Bonjour, mes enfants," greeted Narcissa calmly from the table.
"Bonjour, Grand-maman!" chimed the children, running to kiss their grandparents. "Bonjour, Grand-papa!"
"Come here and give me a kiss, too," demanded Draco as he put down the Daily Prophet.
All four children lined up before their father for their hug and kiss. Draco waited expectantly for Hermione's kiss. She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. He pulled her down into the chair beside him and placed a kiss on her neck.
After finishing her croissant and strawberries, Hermione announced, "Today I have an appointment at the Ministry of Magic."
"With Harry Potter!" added Orion.
Lucius frowned. Why would Astoria visit Harry Potter?
"Is that necessary?" Lucius inquired with disdain.
"Yes, is that necessary?" Draco echoed with a smirk.
Hermione swatted Draco. Draco scowled. Lucius narrowed his eyes. Scorpius gazed from mother to father to grandfather. Hermione ignored the question Lucius had asked.
"I will be happy to watch the children finish their school work, Astoria, before our French lesson," proposed Narcissa graciously after a minute of silence.
"Thank you, Narcissa. That would be wonderful." Astoria looked warmly into her mother-in-laws eyes. "I'll be back after lunch, maybe sooner."
"Why don't you stop by the office and have lunch with me?" Draco suggested with a frown. He was curious about the outcome of this visit, but tried to act unconcerned.
Hermione beamed and agreed. A much-needed visit with Harry, a date with Draco, a music lesson with Maestro Michel-this was going to be a fantastic day.