Here is a verrrrry belated chapter that has been sitting in my drafts unfinished for awhile. It's also been about a year since I started this which has really made me want to finish it, so I'm gonna start upping my writing game in general and work on alllll my works, so hopefully keep your eyes peeled for updates.
Sunday, December 15, 1940
"Pierce!" Hermione called from the kitchen. She heard him scamper down the hallway. "I need you to set the table, so that we can get eating right away."
Just as Pierce set the last dish on the table, Draco strolled into the room, scooping him up and twirling him around. "Hello, bud," Draco said laughing along to Pierce's giggle.
Hermione had spent the last few weeks hoarding food so they wouldn't go hungry once rationing began. She'd looked into a cow and a few chickens, although she wasn't totally sure how to care for them nor did their small cottage have the space.
"I'd like to give you your first present early," Draco said as they tucked into their curried goat with gusto.
"Oh!" Hermione said looking up at his grinning face.
He handed her a small box that she was convinced was jewellery. "Draco, you shouldn't have, I don't need anymor-"
"Open it," he said, smirking now. Pierce just bounced his head back and forth between them.
Hermione lifted the little lid on the box, and saw a set of keys. "Draco!" she shrieked standing and throwing her arms around his neck.
"I figured we should have a place to stay on our off weeks," he said, holding her between his knees. "With the baby, we won't have nearly enough room in the room at the Inn or here. It's still close to your grandparents in Forest Row, so that shouldn't be a concern either."
He turned to Pierce who looked cautiously up at them, "Will there still be room for me? When the baby comes?" He asked quietly.
"Perseus Andrew Malfoy!" Hermione said sternly "You're our son, of course there will be room for you, there will be room for you where we go!"
"You'll have your own room, bud," Draco said with a grin, "and when the baby is born he'll have his own as well."
"We'll go in the morning," Draco said, pulling Pierce over to join their little circle. "Bright and early we'll get the first train."
There was a knock at their door, but they weren't expecting anyone, so Draco straightened his lapels and stood, Hermione's and Pierce following behind.
When he opened the door, hermione heard the stomp of a boot that sounded a lot like the one the soldiers did when they saluted. "Are you Dr. Drake Malcolm, sir?"
"I am," Draco said stiffly. He was handed a letter and then closed the door slowly as he looked at the envelope.
"What is it, dad?" Pierce asked curiously, coming to stand at his side.
Draco didn't say anything as he sat on the couch heavily. He turned the letter I've run his hands, staring at it blankly.
"Draco," Hermione murmured, sitting next to him, "what is it?"
"Most likely a Conscription," he said quietly.
"B-but you're a doctor, they can't…" she trailed off as tears pooled in her eyes. "Let's not jump to conclusions, let's open it," she said, softly.
Inside was a document, clearly stamped with the Ministry of Magic's stamp conscripting him into the military.
ORDER TO REPORT FOR INDUCTION
The Minister of Magic,
To Drake Lucien Malcolm
GREETING:
Having submitted yourself to a Local Board composed of your neighbors for the purpose of determining your availability for training and service in the British Armed Forces, you are hereby notified that you have now been selected for training and service in the British Army.
You will, therefore, report to the Local Board named above at 7 a.m. on the 2nd day of Jan. 1941.
This parchment will furnish transportation to the Ministry. You will there be examined and if accepted for training and service, you will then be inducted into the stated branch of the service.
Persons reporting to the induction station in some instances may be rejected for physical or other reasons. It is well to keep this in mind in arranging your affairs, to prevent any undue hardship if you are rejected at the induction station. If you are employed, you should advise your employer of this notice and of the possibility that you may not be accepted at the induction station. Your employer can then be prepared to replace you if you are accepted, or to continue your employment if you are rejected.
If you are not accepted, you will be furnished transportation to the place where you living when ordered to report for induction by this Local Board.
Willful failure to report promptly to this Local Board at the hour and on the day named in this notice is a violation of the Selective Training and Services Act of 1940 and subjects the violator to fine and imprisonment. Bring with you sufficient clothing for 8 days.
You must keep this form as it will bring you to the Local Board.
Arlo Sands
Director of the DMAC
A second note was attached, from Unspeakable Ellesmere.
I tried to get you out of it, but I wasn't able. You've been assigned the role of Major with around 120 men under your command. It's a mixed Magic and Squib unit, with a few Muggleborn siblings in the works as well. You'll be leading the charge in both obliviation and magical healing for Muggle soldiers. It seems one of your colleagues brought your name and experience up and the ministry didn't even bat an eye.
The two of them just stared at the papers on the coffee table in shock. "I thought…" Hermione trailed off. "What are we going to do?"
Draco didn't say anything but pulled Pierce closer into his side. The boy curled around Draco, throwing himself in his lap. "You're going to leave us?" He whimpered
"No, no never," Draco said softly. "I'll just be further away to work, but I'll never leave you." At this point Pierce had started crying, not knowing how to handle his parents sombre mood.
After a moment, Hermione stood and gestured for them to go back to the table. "I'm going to put my notice in at the hospital and do some freelance curse breaking," she said after they'd settled. "With you gone I'll never be able to keep up a job and Pierce and the baby."
"Yes…" Draco trailed off, lost in thought, "that makes sense."
Hermione tutted, "Alright you two, this our first Christmas as a family, I won't be having surprising news ruin all my plans. We're off to Forest Row in the morning and we have a new house!"
Monday, December 16, 1940
Hermione stepped off the train in Forest Row, holding Pierce's hand as Draco carried their things with him. They'd officially put their notice in at the hospital to very mixed response. Draco led them down the path towards a middling sized cottage off the main road. Hermione gasped. It had what she knew would become a lovely little garden that was only a bit overgrown.
"Welcome home, Malcolms," Draco said with a grin when he caught sight of Hermione and Pierce's faces.
"This. Is. Gigantic!" Pierce shrieked, dropping Hermione's hand and running for the blue front door.
Draco jogged behind and opened the door for Pierce. When she finally made it to the door, Hermione gasped. It was fully furnished already. "I might have already gone to see Euphemia and Fleamont and they sent along all the things that were taking up space in their attic," he said sheepishly.
Inside were pieces that look like they were made for the space. From the cosy living room with overstuffed chairs to the large dining room table that could seat at least eight. Hermione finished wandering the first floor and started on the stairs where she could hear Draco and Pierce giggling away. She stood in the doorway and saw Draco levitating Pierce's toys into a toy box while Pierce started to put away his books on the small bookshelf.
"What do you think, darling?" Hermione asked softly.
Pierce turned around and beamed at her, "Dad said that we can change my bedcovers to be whatever colour I want, and that he'll make sure that we get some posters for my walls."
"That's wonderful," she said, settling on the bed.
"We'll have to get a tree," Draco said as he sat next to her. Pierce had already begun playing with his action figures loudly in the corner.
"And decorations and a turkey if we can," she said. "I'm hoping to get seeds and maybe some chickens for the garden."
"I will not be getting you seeds and chickens for Christmas," Draco said with a laugh.
"You've already given me the best gifts I could ask for," she said, resting her hand on her slightly swelling stomach and looking fondly at Pierce who was playing with a toy aeroplane.
"There is no way I'm not going to get you a present Hermione," he said seriously.
"Draco I don't need anything else," she said, annoyed. "I am just as aware of our finances as you are, we aren't made of money like you're used to!"
"Hermione, I just want to be able to give you everything, we're fine."
"We're not! I've just quit my job and you're going to be gone. We're going to have two children and-" she only realised that they were talking a bit heatedly when she heard Pierce go silent. She turned to look at him and saw that he'd tensed up, but hadn't turned to look at them.
"Darling," she called to him, he still did not turn, sitting stiffly on the rug. "Perseus," she said softly, "will you come here?"
He stood and walked toward them slowly, not looking up. "Darling," she said, reaching for his face. She tried her hardest not to be offended when he flinched.
"Hey bud," Draco said, pulling the boy into his lap. "Sometimes Mums and Dads argue, but it doesn't mean that we don't love each other."
"But when adults get mad they do mean things," Pierce whispered.
Hermione's heart broke a little more than it had already. "Some adults do, yes," Draco said carefully, "but your Mum and I don't, do we?"
Pierce thought for a few seconds, "But you could," he whispered.
Draco pulled him into a tighter hug, "I don't think your Mum has a mean bone in her body, do you?"
Hermione could see him shake his head, and smiled softly. "And I have seen how your Dad loves both of us. We're a family now, darling. It's not always easy, but we'll always make things work."
Pierce sniffled a little and pulled away from Draco. "Do you promise?" he asked, looking at Hermione.
"I promise," she said, squeezing his small hand.
That evening, when they arrived at the Inn, Pierce practically threw himself at Christine. "Aunt Chrissie!" he shouted, "we have news!"
"News, hm?" she said knowingly.
"We've a house!" He said beaming at her. "Dad said he'd help me decorate my room before he has to go away."
Christine looked up at them sharply, but wisely didn't say anything in front of Pierce. Hermione and Draco settled into the parlour after David brought Pierce out to help him in the shed. Christine brought them tea and settled next to them
"Alright, what's this about Drake leaving?" she asked quietly.
"I've been called to the Front," he said with a sigh.
"We'd thought, with his job at the hospital-" Hermione let out a small sob.
"Oh dear," Christine said nervously. "I'm glad that you're closer to us. At least you'll have something like family to support you."
Hermione felt tears prick her eyes. She knew that Christine and David were more than "like family." Nonetheless, she was awed that they could feel so strongly about her even without knowing.
"I'm glad you and David will be here to watch over them," Draco said, holding her hand in his.
"I just wish you didn't have to go," Hermione said, trying to hide her tears.
"Why don't you two spend some time together tomorrow and drop Pierce off here for the day?"
Hermione looked down, flushing. They of course hadn't been able to have any sort of honeymoon what with Pierce and trying to sort out their lives in the 1940s.
"We'd love to," Draco smirked at her.
That evening, Pierce was sprawled across the floor and began working on his reading. He knew basic words but didn't have a very robust education, which Hermione was attempting to rectify. He'd torn through Pecos Bill by James Cloyd Bowman and was working through Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright now.
"Mum," he called as the adults settled into their chairs.
"Yes, darling?" She asked.
"Can we go to America? I'd like to go on the Oregon Trail and work on a farm."
"People aren't going down the Oregon Trail anymore, bud," Draco said offhandedly. Hermione had to catch her breath. How did he know? She looked at him and he flushed, "I may have read his books and done my own research," he added quietly.
Hermione felt her heart swell. Where had this Draco Malfoy been all these years? He seemed to get her without even trying. "I love you, Draco Malfoy," she said quietly.
"But Mum," Pierce whined, "I want to work on a farm!"
"I guess we'll just have to convince your father to get us some seeds and chickens for Christmas then, hm?" she teased, smirking at Draco.
He groaned when Pierce ran over to him excitedly, "Can we, Dad? Can we?"
"You're a menace, Granger," he said with a faux annoyed huff.
"Can I be a menace too, Mum?" Pierce asked.
"Oh you already are," Draco said with a chuckle.
The next morning she dropped Pierce off with Christine and David and made her way past the small grocery in town on her way back. She noticed that they had a whole series of canning supplies, which she knew would come in handy. When she'd left the grocery, and made her way back to their house, she couldn't' hold back her grin. She'd lived in a flat in London since leaving Hogwarts. She thought moving out to Forest Row would feel lonely, so she hadn't considered it. Now she watched as the chimney let out a merry curl of smoke and the snow coated the roof in a homey way with a burst of contentment.
Draco opened the door, "What are you doing out there, witch?" he called. "You'll freeze your fingers off, come in!"
She rolled her eyes, but obliged him. "I got some canning supplies. I'm going to start a garden in the root cellar. Why not use Magic to make all our lives easier?"
"That has to be the least sexy thing you've ever said," he groaned, "but for some gods-forsaken reason, you've never turned me on more."
She chuckled at him. "Draco, I'm being seri-"
He pulled her back towards him and began dropping kisses along her neck. "I love you, Princess."
"I love you too, Draco, but we need to get some things done before Pierce comes ho-"
"Nope, he's spending the night at Christine and David's. First I'm taking my wife to bed. I've barely gotten to see you in all your glory since our wedding. Come along, let's break in our new bed."
"Fine!" she chuckled, "But after we have to get ready for you to lea-"
"No!" he said quickly, "Don't say it, we'll talk about it after Christmas. Come on!"
She giggled as he dragged her up the steps and pulled her onto their bed. When she settled back onto the covers, she felt her body relax. "Draco," she yawned. "Can we just cuddle? I'm so tired."
He looked down at her from where he was hovering over her. He ran a thumb over the bags under her eyes. "Is my son tiring you out, Princess?"
She smiled up at him. "He seems to take after his father."
Christmas was bittersweet, to put it lightly. It was their first Christmas as a family, but with the uncertainty, Hermione felt herself holding her breath begging time to slow down at every turn.
Pierce was bursting with joy at his "first Christmas," and couldn't stop talking about planting the seeds they'd gotten. He and Draco had built a state-of-the-art chicken coop, as "Malfoys always have the best, even the Chickens, Hermione!"
Boxing Day was spent with Christine and David in a flurry of purple and grey. Pierce was running through the snow with one of the other boys who had been sent out of the city by his family during Operation Pied Piper. Hermione was tickled to realise that the boy was none other than William Prewitt, Molly's father.
"How are you doing?" David asked, coming to stand next to her in the window.
"I suppose we'll survive," Hermione sighed, turning to look at the man who would become her grandfather. "I'm not sure what we're going to do without Drake. We never thought-"
"Aye, it's alright," David said with a sigh, patting her shoulder. She couldn't hold back her chuckle, this man wouldn't change much, he always was sort of awkward in his affections. "Christine and I'll be here to look after you."
"Mum!" shouted Pierce, Hermione turned to look out the window at her son, who was gesturing wildly. "Bring dad, come play!"
Hermione grinned, turning to the man next to her, "Shall we join them?" She asked.
Not long after, Draco and David were out in the snow, jointing the boys in pelting each other with snowballs. Hermione stood in the doorway, one hand resting on her stomach, the other holding a mug of hot cocoa.
She was exactly where she needed to be.
Gosh aren't they so cute!
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