September 2010
Lyra's large grey eyes drifted close. Hermione let out a heavy sigh of relief, carefully freeing her arms from under the toddler's body, leaving her curled up in the armchair of the sitting room.
Standing slowly so as to not make the room spin ( a fun new pregnancy symptom), she quietly tried to maneuver to the couch to lay down herself.
Just for a moment...
This one must be a boy, she thought because she was so bone-tired, unlike anything from the previous two. Hermione Granger was a strong, progressive, powerful witch who did not laze about and rarely ever slept in. There was far too much to be done in the world to waste time sleeping.
But this child...this one had her eyelids drooping by mid-afternoon.
After a full work week with merciful silence from Marrietta Edgecomb (who seemed to have run out of steam harassing them all), Draco had been recruited to give "unique advice" at a trial happening today. He wouldn't say exactly what it was about but promised to fill her in after. In the few minutes of spare time, she reviewed the cases up for a trial and didn't see anything that would require a potions expertise.
Harry had dodged all her questions, well-practiced at it.
So she'd planned a fun, engaging Saturday and awoken to a mutinous toddler and children's rejection of all her suggestions for activities as being "for babies."
Lyra had been allowed a whole chocolate frog to herself at a birthday party recently and had that singular goal affixed mentally- denying any cooperation without bribery until finally wearing herself out.
A thundering from above made her swear, and Rose and Evelyn charged down the stairs. She muffilato'd the sounds around Lyra.
"Mum! We want to go out to the garden! Can we go for a fly, please? Please?!"
Hermione shushed her oldest daughter, imploring her to keep her voice down. "What do you mean we? Evelyn, you hate flying."
"I just want to know enough not to make a fool of myself at Hogwarts," Evelyn said, toying with the ends of her hair.
Ever since Teddy had come back for the summer, every single child in the family had been obsessed with going away to Hogwarts. Even with years still left to go for most of them. School house lines had started to form already among the suspected sortings.
"You have ages before -"
"PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE- " Rose started to yell. " Evelyn never wants to do anything I want to do!"
Hermione's head throbbed at the noise, and her arguments grew weak. Rose usually followed any rules that allowed her more flying time. Evelyn would keep her from doing anything too irrational.
"Okay. Don't go above the tree line, don't leave the back garden. I'm going to check to make sure you're following the rules, Rose Helen…" the redhead had already started to jog away, Evelyn sighing and following after.
Twisting her hair up into a bun, Hermione plopped down on the couch and let out a breath of relief. She would go check on them in just a few minutes...or send Tilly...something like that.
Her eyelids grew heavy, and she closed them just for a second as the back door slammed shut.
Evelyn's eye shifted from the shining black broom to her step-sister, looking at her with her bottom lip stuck out and eyes shaped in a pleading expression.
"It doesn't belong to us. It's daddy's broom; we shouldn't touch it." Evelyn announced, dropping her outstretched hand.
"It's a Nimbus 2001. It's a classic. Nimbus still hasn't come close in terms of matching speed and style since. It doesn't shake over 50 miles an hour like mine does." Rose lamented, staring up longingly.
"Should you be going that fast?"
Rose shrugged, not sparing another thought for the subject. "But I bet anything your dad has blood wards up around it. My da did until I nicked his now he's had Lavender set them. Sent me straight to my room; the wards did. Go on, Ev, just for a quick ride."
"What'll happen if we get caught? Mum says she'll check on us in a minute."
"She'll get distracted by Lyra or something, and we'll just put it right back. Dad wants us to have the best right? This broom is the best. We'll be really quick. Come on, you don't want to fall on your arse at Hogwarts, right?!"
Evelyn gnawed on her lower lip in thought before quickly snatching the broom from the hooks off the wall. The wards were like plunging her hands into icy waters but with no pain.
They waited for a moment, scanning the ceiling as if expecting to be caught in the moment.
Nothing happened, and the girls turned to grin at each other and bolted to the back garden.
Hermione's mobile woke her from the twilight slumber she had managed in the few minutes of stillness.
"Hello?"
"What are the kids doing?" Draco's voice cut sharply through the receiver. "I told you to have Tilly watch them."
"Do not speak to me like that. The children are fine, Lyra's napping, and Rose and Evi are in the garden flying. I'm walking out there right now."
Draco swore, pulling the phone away from his face. "Tell them to get the fuck off my broom. THAT'S what they took. I should have known. If I didn't have to be at this trial to put this shitebag away, I'd apparate straight home."
"Everything's fine;they aren't even on it. Maybe they just touched it? It was probably just Evelyn being curious...you know how she wants to ...pet a kelpie just to see...relax and go back to the trial." Hermione said with a placating tone. "I see them from the window right now. Everything is fine."
Draco grumbled his goodbyes and hung up as she opened the door to the garden. Rose was holding most of the Nimbus 2001 while Evelyn held half of the handle, frozen in fear.
The redhead started forming excuses almost immediately as tears pooled in Evelyn's eyes.
"Inside. Now." was all Hermione had to say to get them to stop and rush inside.
With all the pieces laid out on the table before her, the brightest witch of her age put her fists on her hip and flicked her wand, trying several different types of fixing spells. The broom only quivered in place, reflecting all her spellwork back at her.
"Try it again, Mum, you can do it," Rose whispered encouragingly until Hermione glared down at her.
"This will not be over once the broom is repaired. You're in big trouble, both of you. I think I'm going to have to take it to a shop and the costs will come from your pocket money. You will both write apology letters and read them. What on earth caused you...why would you—" Lyra waking in the other room distracted her mid-sentence.
"I was just going to show Ev how good it is, but I kicked off, and it's so fast . I rolled us off before it crashed into a tree." Rose kept her eyes fixed on the broom handle. "I'm sorry."
Hermione blew out a breath. "At least you two didn't get hurt. Happy to know you have that much sense." The Floo roared to life in the other room, and Ron's voice carried in the other room.
"I know I'm early, I'm sorry, we just - " he stopped his strides midway as the broom came into view. "Blimey Hermione…what'd he do?"
"Rose and Evelyn decided to go for a joy ride."
"Rosie! We talked about this! You aren't ready for a racing broom! " he strode over to examine the wreckage himself. "That's not good. They don't make the handles out of this type of wood anymore. Too temperamental."
"What do you mean you talked about this -"
"She nicked mine the other day. Didn't tell you because I thought we had settled it."
"Ron! "
He held his hands up defensively. "You looked all relaxed after your holiday. I didn't want to be the one who ruined it."
Hermione made a low growling noise but filed it to be discussed later. Her ex-husband seemed to know what was coming and immediately tried to make himself useful. "It looks like you have enough of the pieces to have it restored to flying shape though, so that's good."
"Flying shape?"
"Yeah. It'll go, but it'll never be as balanced or as fast." Ron shrugged, then turned to his daughter. "Don't think this is going to be over just because it's our weekend. You're on the ground all week, and you're going to tell grandma Molly why."
"No! Wait! We haven't tried Spell -o- tape! Or or...Mum hasn't checked her books! Evelyn stop crying; I can't think!" Rose shouted, now frantic with anxiety.
The Floo came to life again, and Hermione's heart jumped to her throat, knowing exactly who it was this time.
"Shit." She whispered.
"Shit." Rose echoed.
Draco emerged from the sitting room and stopped in the doorway at the scene in front of him. His face drained of all colour, and his lips pressed into a thin line as he put on the unnaturally straight posture of someone Occluding. Grey eyes scanned each of the older girls carefully before he let out a shaky breath.
It was a long few minutes before anyone spoke again as Draco assessed the scene.
"Let me guess...we got curious. But it must have been Evelyn who grabbed it." His voice was monotone and detached. "Glad neither of you got yourselves hurt. Hermione, where were you?"
"Putting Lyra down for a nap." The toddler let out a shriek and came peeling around the corner, chocolate dotting the corners of her mouth.
"Great." Draco examined the broken half of the handle, and all was quiet for a few minutes. "You know, girls, my father bought that for me when I was a little bit older than you. I took really good care of it because it meant a lot to me."
Evelyn let out a fresh sob, and Rose mumbled a quiet. "I'm so sorry."
"It's ok. Weasley's can go, I just...I need a minute." His almost lifeless eyes met Hermione's. "I'll tell you about the trial later too."
Ron started to usher Rose from the room and back towards the fireplace when she broke away and ran to Draco, hugging around his waist. "I'm still your favorite Weasley, right?"
He reached down to hug her back. "Yeah. You're still my favorite Weasley."
The plastic bag full of Chinese takeaway crinkled as Hermione placed it on the now vacant kitchen table.
Tilly scowled at Hermione as she shooed the witch out of the way and started to unpack it all.
"The baby wanted it."
Footsteps behind her distracted her from the ire of the little elf as Draco gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze.
"Quality Quidditch supplies had it sent back to the manufacturers for repairs. It won't be any good for games, but you can still- "
"It's fine." He cut her off. "Whatever they do with it is fine. I'm going to retire it anyway. I don't have many happy memories involving my father, but that's one I can preserve." He stroked the top of her head. "I'll talk with Evelyn in a moment, but I need to tell you something."
"What's happened?"
"The trial today. Remember the guy they brought in selling cursed rings to Muggles?" Hermione made a face and nodded. "He tried to make a plea deal to avoid Azkaban for information. Said he had information on a group...that wanted to finish -" he made air quotes with his fingers "what the Dark Lord started."
Hermione gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth. "But...I mean, there have always been rumors, but there aren't many of the old followers left. That can't possibly have any legitimacy."
Draco squeezed her shoulders again. "He turned over a couple of stolen and modified portkeys to various meet-up points on the continent and in America. Transportation is deconstructing them and getting the coordinates, so no one lands in the middle of a trap. You'll be briefed on everything on Monday but listen to me very carefully. I'm going to get dragged into this, you know I am. Whatever they need me to do, I'll do it, even if it means sitting in a holding cell until someone can clear my name."
Magic pulsed through Hermione's body so hard, it crackled audibly in the air as her husband pulled his hand away in shock.
"You will not! Don't even say that! Your name has been cleared for more than a decade! I won't stand for any of it! I'm going to disband...whatever this little gang is and see them all to Azkaban myself. According to article 8 subsection C of - Why are you smirking at me? I'm serious!"
He dragged a hand over his mouth and tried to turn his expression serious but failed. "I just...I love you like this. Don't misunderstand, I don't like being on the receiving end but watching you get all worked up…"
She tapped him lightly on the arm. "When you're on the receiving end, you deserve it. Now go get Evelyn so we can eat."
October 2010
Susan Bones beamed at them from over her clipboard. "Back again already? What happened to one and done?"
Hermione scoffed and hoisted herself onto the examination table. "Not you too, Susan. My father offered to install a television and cable in our bedroom after we told them. A stranger in a store asked me the other day if they 'were all mine' as if I were herding random children around."
The Healers face shifted into a more genuine grin as she positioned herself next to Hermione. "I know, I'm just giving you a hard time. Where's Draco? He's usually around for these things."
"He kept breathing too loud and looking at me, so I made him stay home with the children."
Susan scribbled something in her notes. "So experiencing a lot of irritability this time?"
"No. I'm fine." Hermione snapped.
Saying nothing, the Healer kept writing and changed the subject. "We going to find out the sex this time? Or want to be surprised?"
"It's a boy, but we can pretend to be surprised."
"Alright. Then let's take a peek." Susan performed the complicated charm that made the ultrasound-like image appear in the air."
The lights only dimmed, and the image of the baby appeared, at first, profile, curled up with a fist near its mouth. It turned in a way that made Hermione sigh and rub her forehead.
Susan laughed. "Sorry, looks like she wanted to ruin the surprise!"
"Hello Cassiopeia, looks like you've proved me wrong again," Hermione mumbled, but grinning to herself anyway.
Chapter 28: Cassiopeia
Summary:
The family finally gets to meet Cassiopeia but of course, she has to make a dramatic entrance.
The Dark Mark is seen over a body in Hogsmeade...
Notes:
Your comments and kudos give me LIFE y'all thank you so much. I hope you continue to smile and laugh despite the DRAMA in this chapter ;)
Talonwillow is the George to my Fred :D
Chapter Text
January 2011
The lift ground to a halt. The doors parted as Hermione stared down the corridor containing Draco's lab and the Ministry courtrooms. How many times had she been so happy to see this very sight? How many times had the thrill of anticipation zinged up her spine, even after all this time?
The lab door was open. The sound of bottles clinking together and cauldrons bubbling, mixing with Theo and Draco's chatter were the only sounds with no formal court hearings today.
"Because I'm telling you, if she ever heard me say I was babysitting my own kids, she'd kill me and have my head mounted on the wall." A mumbled response she couldn't make out. "No, she'd keep the lower half in the bedroom."
She smiled despite her anxiety. She really ought to come down here more and just visit and listen to him make crude jokes with his friend. They should try to go out more, spend more time with adults. Their nights seemed to exist solely on bedtime routines and then crashing into bed themselves. Some nights were filled with languid sex and sweet nothings and some in companionable silences and dozing off far earlier than they'd ever admit.
Was it selfish to hope for such stability forever? That maybe they had seen all their hardships through already and now could be rewarded for it?
Rubbing her protruding belly protectively, she crept around the edge of the door, clearing her throat to make herself known.
His face lit up, joy flickering across his features before schooling them back to impassiveness. Gods, she lived for that moment. Would he still look at her like that after today? Would he blame her for what was about to happen?
"How did your check-up go? Everything alright?" An edge of worry tinted his voice.
Hermione cleared her throat and practiced the words she'd been repeating the entire journey down. "Yes, she's growing right on track,and physically she's perfect. Long, even, all legs and feet, running out of room. But there is something...you'll need to come back with me. Susan's cleared her afternoon."
His face fell, and her heart with it. "Should...Can I…Right now?" he swallowed and looked to Theo.
"Go on. I'll finish up here. I'm expecting the son to be named after me, though!" Theo called, shoo-ing them out of the potions lab.
Back in Susan's office, she gave them a wan smile and performed her ultrasound spell.
"Witches and wizards all have magical cores, mostly of the same strength at first, that grow as they come into their power and train, correct?" She started to explain. Draco's eyes were transfixed on the image of the baby in front of them, her body curled in a sleeping position. "When a witch does the pregnancy detection spell, she's detecting a second growing magical core within her, which is usually relevant to the stage of pregnancy." Susan performed another spell, and a golden ball of light flicked over the baby's chest.
"What...what does that mean for us then?" Asked Draco, gripping Hermione's hand. The curly-haired witch couldn't bring herself to say it but admired the Hufflepuff Healer, squared her shoulders, and stared down her formidable husband.
"This light...isn't very bright for how far along she is. It might even be residual from Hermione. Draco, your baby might be a squib." Susan said, bracing herself for a fight. When nothing happened, she straightened her robes and stood. "This isn't anyone's fault; it's just something that happens, even in the oldest magical families."
Draco finally turned his eyes on Susan, who looked on edge but ready to retort back at a moment's notice. "Are you implying I might feel differently if my children weren't magical?" He turned to Hermione. "Is that what you are worried about?"
"Love...if she isn't magical...she'll never be like her sisters. She'll never get her letter or go to Hogwarts. You can't teach her to fly or brew potions. You can't even take her to the Manor for a visit." Hermione swiped her fingers under her eyes, catching the tears. "I don't know if she'd even be happy living with us."
"Stop it." he snapped, making everyone in the room jump. "That's our daughter; she'll come with us. I'll do whatever it takes to make her comfortable and happy. I'm surprised at you, Hermione." Hurt etched his voice. "I'd never deny Cassiopeia anything, not her family or home."
Hermione awkwardly tried to sit herself up and ended up having to signal for help. "I wanted to kiss you but, I'll have to do it later. I hoped you'd say that, but I know this is a big shock, even for me. I love my parents, but there's so much we don't connect on. They tried, I know, but I also know they don't understand the largest portion of my life."
Draco laced his fingers through hers and bent to kiss her. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. She's not even born yet. One thing at a time."
"You're right."
"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that."
January 2011
Draco couldn't sleep. He'd always been an infuriatingly light sleeper, and currently, he was being kicked in the back by tiny feet.
But he dare not wake Hermione, who had just managed to drift to sleep. After a series of complicated maneuvering and swearing, positioning herself in a way to monopolize on every single pillow but the one he kept tightly under the crook of his arm.
He put a hand over where he felt the bouncing coming and was rewarded with a sharp jab to the palm.
"Go to sleep Cas."
Another series of kicks.
"Just like your mother. Stubborn."
Kick.
He turned to his opposite side, carefully sliding down so his voice wouldn't wake his now snoring wife.
"You're not a Squib at all, are you? I bet you're just a late bloomer. I was, but Father stuck me on a broom as soon as I could walk. Knocked over my grandfather because I took off. He was just so happy I wasn't 'a waste of good genes.' "
Kick
"He liked to tell me that story when he was feeling particularly malicious when I wasn't living up to his expectations. Call me a waste of magic. But I'm not like him, despite what people still think."
Kick kick kick.
"Can you go to sleep now, princess, please?"
Kick. And then nothing.
Draco grinned and finally fell asleep.
January 25th 2011
"I hate peas," Rose grumbled, chasing the offending vegetable around her plate with her fork.
"Don't play with your food, Weasley. And you liked peas last week." Draco grumbled, handing over his plate for Tilly to take and turning to Lyra, who was now copying her sister with avoiding her vegetables but instead squishing them with her finger.
"Finish your food. I'm not in the mood to argue with you, Rose," Hermione responded, passing her own plate to the elf. "If you leave them, I'll do the washing up."
Tilly's eyes flicked over Hermione as she gave her a look that clearly stated, "You really don't get it yet, do you?"
"If I eat this, I want two pieces of cake for it." The ten-year-old complained. "Or a fizzy drink."
"Absolutely not!"
"Aren't you always saying we shouldn't settle? That we should set high goals and work hard to achieve them? Well, my goal is two pieces of cake for dessert." Rose folded her arms across her chest. "With no peas."
Draco kept his face carefully turned away, pretending to be preoccupied with Lyra. Evelyn watched the whole thing eagerly, pretending to still scrape up the crumbs on her plate so she could watch the scene unfold.
"No," Hermione said, copying the motion of her oldest daughter. "That was not a part of our original terms of the agreement."
Before anything else could happen, the house shook, rattling everything in place. Lyra let out a wail as Draco stood so fast, his chair fell behind him. Hermione moved to the windows as fast as she could manage, still more collected than her husband.
"Rose, Evelyn, go to your bedrooms or any room upstairs, take Lyra. Do not come down unless we tell you to." Everything shook again, and Hermione wrapped an arm around her middle with a hiss of pain. The children obeyed, even Lyra, who was in shocked silence for once.
The house shook again, as did the ashes in the fireplace as if someone were trying to come through. Hermione reached for the constellation necklace before remembering it was still upstairs and felt suddenly vulnerable. But she wouldn't dare show it right now.
Once the door shut above them, she turned to look at Draco, who she knew was on the verge of telling her to go with them. "Check the perimeter around the wards, please. I'll get the Floo."
"Granger -"
"Don't. I can't move that fast, but I can still defend us. Check the wards, then meet me in the sitting room, please." Hermione intoned in her calmest yet authoritative voice.
"Right. I'll go check, but I'm going to be right back."
The house shook again.
"I'll see you then."
Draco took off towards the back garden with a single nod, and she let herself decompress slightly. Her back ached with sharp contractions but chalked it up to the stress of the situation.
Wand raised, she wandered into the sitting room, eyes roaming for anything that felt out of place. Turning to face the fireplace, it sparked to life, and two familiar figures came barreling through.
Harry and Ron each pushing the other one and coughing.
"Oh!" Hermione startled. "Was that you two? The wards should have let you in; what's happened?"
"Dark Mark in Hogsmeade. Mundungus Fletcher was found dead just outside the town limits." Harry spluttered, ash puffing out from his mouth as Ron thumped him on the back.
"I was still doing inventory at the joke shop. We just opened up there. Aurors started descending on the place, but it's the Tuesday night crew, so it was kind of a shit show." Ron explained further.
"That's terrible, especially about Mundungus, but I still don't understand why you're here and why you're tearing down my house!"
The grounds shook again, longer this time. Hermione wrapped both her arms around her belly and looked around frantically for Draco.
" 'Mione, those are Aurors. The Dark Mark. There's only one person whose free who can cast it -"
"Are you sure it was a Dark Mark? A real one? Has a wand been found and analyzed yet -"
Harry looked at her pleadingly. "McLaggen is squad leader tonight, and I know what you could do.."
"Where's Malfoy, Hermione?" Ron asked carefully.
"Here. In the garden, checking the perimeter. Are you…" She looked from wizard to wizard. "He's been here the whole time. We just ate dinner...you can't think… you can't—"
"That's good, then this will all be over soon. Just stay calm 'Mione. I don't think he did it either...and we don't want you to go to Azkaban for injuring an Auror. Do it, Harry." Ron said, pointing his own wand, braced for the possibility he was about to get hexed to hell and back.
Several things happened at once. The Floo broke open in a crash and a blaze of green flames. Harry yelled expelliarmus and Hermione felt the vinewood gripped tightly in her hands slip through her fingers like water. The back door slammed open from Draco rushing into the room at the sounds.
A dozen Aurors pointed their wands at Draco, including Cormac McLaggen, Auror by way of paying all the right people. Someone summoned the Hawthorne from his hands without preamble as Draco lifted both hands palms up.
"Got here just in time! Fleeing the scene, eh Malfoy?" Mclaggen called.
"Don't answer that!" Hermione snarled. "Don't say anything! They don't have any rights here! No evidence! I will see you all fired and unemployable if you lay a single finger on him! Harry give me my wand. Harry?!"
Ron was now trying to hide entirely behind Harry, who looked more scared than he had in decades.
"He's the only one, Hermione. The only suspect. We'll get his name cleared by the end of the night, don't panic." The Head Auror turned to Draco. "The Dark Mark was seen over a body in Hogsmeade."
"I was here eating dinner with my family. I left the Ministry at 4:30 this afternoon and have been here since. The last three spells on my wand are a shield charm, a ward revealing charm, and a Scorgify- "
" Fletcher put up a fight, huh? Clearing off the evidence." McLaggen shot.
"What? I cleaned up my sticky toddler, you moron."
"When's the last time you had contact with Mundungus Fletcher?" Harry asked.
"1998. He stopped by the day before you did. Had a lovely Easter tea and all." Draco's lip was curled in disgust.
Harry nodded sharply. "Okay, this should all be over by tonight. You know what needs to happen, Malfoy."
A door opened and closed upstairs.
"I'll go quietly. Hermione, please check on the children."
"No! You can't. There's no evidence -" tears were streaming down her face. "Harry! Please!"
"Rose can come back with me. Mione, you like you're about to pop any day now." Ron offered to try to be helpful.
Hermione just glared at him and tried to manually snatch her wand back.
"Thank you, Weasley. She's going to work herself into labour if she doesn't calm down and let the Aurors do their job. I'm ready. Let's get this over with."
Hermione took in the stillness of the house after everyone had left it.
Technically, the fact that Draco was the only marked Death Eater who could have performed the Morsmordre spell to create the Mark over Hogsmeade was enough to suspect him by wizarding law.
It had also probably been a good thing that Harry disarmed her because the look on his face was enough to make her consider how she could hurt them all wandlessly.
But she knew that this would always be a part of choosing him. They had been fated since birth to be on opposing sides of this chasm in wizarding society. No matter how far he had come, there was no escaping his mistakes, just like no matter how she proved herself, she would always in spite of being Muggleborn.
Another contraction spiked, making her cry out this time. The two remaining girls came running at the sound, asking a million questions.
This was not the time to falter. Her children deserved a better example of how to run a society, deserved better to be caught up in the prejudices of a generational war.
Of all the people, Sirius came to the forefront of her mind. Of course, he had been at the scene, but they had never checked his wand, or let him testify under Veritaserum or have a trial at all. He'd been born a Black, and that had been enough.
She quieted the emotional part of her brain, letting the cold, logical leader take over.
"Evelyn, please pack a bag for you and Lyra to stay with your grandmother tonight. She's still at the Manor for the moment, right?"
Evelyn nodded. "I can go with you. I ate all my dinner, and I'm not tired at all. I can tell them how Daddy was here with us and how he doesn't do the wrong things anymore. You'll tell them that too, and they'll have to -" she twisted her hands nervously. "They'll have to let him go, right?"
Hermione pulled her stepdaughter in for a tight hug. "I'm going to bring him home tonight but I need you to stay with your Grandmother, please. I'm sure she'll be worried sick as."
Evelyn nodded with a steely glint in her eye that reminded Hermione of her own.
Draco dropped his head back against the stone wall of the holding cell, closing his eyes and quelling his temper. It was nearly midnight, and no one had spoken to him since his arrival to the Ministry.
Truthfully if he had a wand, he would just muffle the noise around the cell, cushion the bench a little, and go to sleep. He wasn't being pummeled in the back by his own spawn or subjected to his beautiful wife snoring like an ill hippogriff, so it was a nice change of pace.
Something scurried across his hand, and he flinched. A familiar-looking blue beetle was scuttling towards the bars to the outside.
He scooped it up and brought it to eye level. It hummed nervously, fluttering its wings.
"Still up to your old shit Rita? I'll have to be sure and tell Hermione how this all got out. One of our kids has a large terrarium, you know. A very nice place for a beetle to live out the rest of her days."
It fluttered again.
"That's what I thought. Get the hell out of here. Nosey cunt."
The beetle took off, flying at the fastest speed it could manage while dodging the Aurors, crowding the Department of Magical Law enforcement.
A commotion was being made at the front of the offices, extinguished immediately by the booming voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Everyone shut up and gather around. The sooner we get this all over with, the sooner we can go home. The Wizengamot has held an emergency meeting, and there are new laws going into effect tomorrow. As in 30 minutes from now."
Draco sat up. She didn't…
"Minister, you can't.-"
"As a matter of fact, I can. As long as I have the support of the majority of the Wizengamont in an official capacity. If you need the exact by-law number for that, just ask Granger. The Sirius Black Law, effective, well, now— says you can not hold anyone based on circumstantial evidence alone. Any Auror found breaking this law...you can deal with her…."
The crowd parted, and Draco could just see the top of her curly, messy bun. She didn't look at anyone as she headed straight for the holding cell.
She was wearing a loose-fitting grey dress and flats, despite being at her place of work. A sheen of sweat dotted her hairline, face flushed but eyes bright and brilliant. Inserting her wand into the keyhole, it swung open and jerked her to the side.
"Besides all that, further investigation found a wand tossed into the woods at the scene. It was purchased in America in late April of last year. You weren't in America in late April of last year, you were on holiday with me. The evidence of which is kicking me in the ribs. So get out." Her voice was clear and loud, carrying through the whole department.
Draco was not interested in arguing. He practically tripped out of the cell and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He gave McLaggen a deadly glare as they passed.
As soon as they were out of earshot, he asked in a mock casual tone. "So, you wrote up a law just to get me home tonight?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and she gave him an exasperated smile.
"It was a desperately needed law. As soon as Evelyn and Lyra were with your mother, I hit the books. Then I Floo'd straight into Kingsley's date, and that helped a lot, considering who he was with."
"Who?"
"Andromeda. But don't tell anyone; they aren't ready to be public yet. She had a right fit on your behalf, by the way." They exchanged significant looks. "So anyway, the Wizengamot was still slow to get moving, so I may have...made a Slytherin play. I may have reminded Harry that Sirius was taken away just because of his family name and when there wasn't any evidence. And that made Harry invoke the "Savior" card and well…"
They reached the lifts at the end of the corridor and stepped in. As soon as the doors were shut, Draco pulled her in for a soul-searing kiss, hands on her waist pulling her in as close as they could be.
"Let's leave the kids overnight. I want to get you home and -"
"Actually." She cut him off. "My water broke, shortly after the trial. I need to go to St. Mungos from here. It's time to meet Cassie."