Harry's knees barely managed to remain upright. If he would never raise a wand again it would be too early. With all the dementors gone, the evening sun suddenly had the strength to warm him again.
The golden sun and the blue daylight flooded his heart with a sudden wave of hope. With all the dementors and Neville, Hermione and Malfoy in the thick of it, there had been no chance to ask if his family was in the van, the three had protected so fiercely, nor why they even would be in the van, why nobody had cast a patronus, until that huge dragon had appeared.
"They'll be o.k." Ron's voice barely registered with him.
Hermione opened the door of the van. There were several people inside and so many children. Was there a glimpse of red hair? Harry's hackles raised just by imagining what might have happened.
His feet were frozen to the ground as if the dementors were still near. His heart thudded in his chest. If he were to check, he might see the worst.
Hermione's smallest was the first to run out. He held on to a balloon, a sight that gave Harry a sudden pang.
"Dad has a beaver," he shouted.
Indeed, there was a silvery beaver and little Robert ran towards it.
"Play with me, beaver!" he shouted. "Look, I have a balloon. A balloon!"
It took Harry a moment before he realised that the beaver had to be Malfoy's patronus.
"Did he just talk in sentences?" Malfoy looked dazed. But he waved the wand he held, and the beaver began to beat at the balloon with his tail, and the balloon slowly floated between little Robert and the shining beaver.
Malfoy held a wand. He held a wand. Harry stared.
Rina climbed out of the van, tears on her cheeks. Richard came after her and then Colin. They looked slightly bedazzled.
"Robert really has his own timing!" Colin shook his head. "How dare he steal the scene by finally talking sentences!"
Richard ran to Harry and Ron and hugged his dad. "Dad, Uncle Harry. At last!"
Harry's eyes burned. Two more Malfoy girls climbed out of the car holding the hands of Narcissa Malfoy. Her face glowed and he had never seen her grin so widely.
The eldest Malfoy girl was suddenly accosted by one of the elder Hogwarts students, a Hufflepuff by the look of it.
"Rina," he shouted. "You're safe."
"John?" she asked. He hugged her fiercely and she hugged him back, inhaling loudly in half-sobs.
Finally, Ginny and James came out, supporting a very weak Pansy. Pansy let herself fall at Neville's side and they entwined their hands.
Ginny ran to Harry, her face flushed, and relief flooded Harry so suddenly, that he thought his knees would give in. She fell into his arms and he breathed her in. Surely, they could work this out.
"Dad, you came" James hugged them both. "I was so afraid."
He also hugged Ron for good measure. "Uncle Ron, I never ever want an adventure again."
"I sincerely hope so," Ginny scowled, as if she had just remembered something. She poked James with her finger. "You, son, are going to have a long talk with me and your dad about putting yourself and others in danger."
James looked positively contrite. His face burned. Harry had not seen his son look like that very often. "I wanted to be a true Gryffindor, like you, dad."
Harry flinched so hard, that Ginny's arm fell from his shoulders.
"James took that blasted portkey" - Ginny's face held her 'I am still angry' look - "that somehow was still in David Finnigan's trunk and he is to blame that Richard, Colin and Lizzie and he landed on the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Right into the clutches of rogue elves that were just about to become dementors."
"Dementors?" Harry almost screamed. "Rogue elves become dementors?"
James and Richard and Ginny talked all at once and Harry had difficulty to extract the exact order of events from their tales.
"What do you mean Kreacher prevented me from being alerted?"
Ginny explained and Harry was tempted to run, hunt Kreacher down and throttle him. Not that it was likely he would find him. Not, if the elves were now truly free.
"So, what about the dementors? Why did they come here?"
"Colin thinks that they came here because this is where the elves were freed." Richard shuddered. "…that, in their own convoluted way, they only wanted their freedom."
James scowled at his cousin.
Richard shrugged. "You might as well get over it, James. Colin is just smarter than you or me."
James smiled ruefully and nodded.
"I wonder what actually happened to the dementors?" Ron asked. "Was that dragon conjured by Malfoy? What did he do?"
"It looked like he absorbed them." Harry looked at James and Richard's faces. He tried to smile. "Or maybe they absorbed the magic in the dragon. Maybe they are free now as well."
He was not sure about that, but James and Richard looked relieved.
"James, Richard," Ginny put her hands on their shoulders. "We will now go to Mr Malfoy and thank him for saving us, yes?"
"Is that truly necessary?" Ron asked.
Ginny's eyes were smouldering with heat. "Yes, that is absolutely necessary. And then I will search for my dear brother George and will slowly disembowel him."
When Ginny mentioned George, Harry looked around to find him, remembering that George had answered his call.
"You're too late," he said.
George was firmly in Malfoy's grip. He had been shoved against the van. Malfoy held him by his collar and had his right hand balled into a fist. His fist connected with George's face.
Percy was shouting. He had drawn his wand to hex Malfoy, but Neville jumped him, and Percy's curse hit the van, where it sputtered and died.
Ginny sprinted to her brothers. "Sorry, Perce. George had that coming. It's his fault we are all here."
"I didn't mean for anyone to take the portkey," George shouted. "David had promised to return it to me tomorrow."
Malfoy's fist collided with his chin again.
"Ouch, Malfoy, let me be."
"My whole family might have died today at this very place. I'm not going to let that lie."
"I came to help," George protested. "Harry called, and I came to help."
"How lucky for you, that I'm actually holding back, Weasel." Malfoy hissed and his fist hit George again.
"Harry!" George called. "Call Malfoy off."
Malfoy turned his head and flashed his teeth at Harry.
"The head auror won't interfere, I am sure. His son was here as well."
Harry stood rooted. He was so angry at George himself, but he had a suspicion that George had been tangled up in this.
"James, how did you know where to get the portkey?" he asked his son.
"I knew it had to be somewhere. I searched for it even before the easter holidays. I took the invisibility cloak and sneaked into David's dorm. I spied the key in his trunk. I knew the portkey would have Gryffindor colours."
Harry sighed. "Why was the trunk open, James?"
James' mouth fell open.
"Let me guess. Elves were doing the dusting in David's dorm."
James nodded, turned mute by the revelation.
"Malfoy," Harry called. "The elves had their hands in this." He would bet all his money and Grimmauld on top that elves saw through the invisibility cloak.
Malfoy looked up shortly. "I know. They needed nine to break the curse. I'd bet that Kreacher suggested to your wife that today would be a good time for having tea, counting on the fact, that Colin and Lizzie would alert Hermione. That doesn't excuse this particular Weasel from his responsibility. He endangered our children."
George looked pained, but also resigned. Harry thought that he was very close to begging for his release.
Hermione swirled past Harry. Goosebumps covered Harry's arm, where one of her curls briefly touched his skin. She went to Malfoy and laid her hand on the arm that held George.
"Love?"
Malfoy pressed his lips together.
"Would you consider letting me have him?"
They looked at each other. Malfoy loosened his grip on George ever so slowly.
Suddenly, the corners of his mouth quirked upwards. George stood like someone condemned.
Hermione pointed her wand at George's breast, a determined look on her face, and pushed for a short moment. The smile she then gave George was wicked.
Hermione took Malfoy's hand and turned.
"Hermione, what did you do?" George shouted.
"Wouldn't you like to know? I did this silently on purpose." She turned back to face him, that wicked smile still on her face. "As long as you won't prank anybody, you have nothing to fear. It's a conditional curse. And I feel generous today. It won't interfere with your joke shop."
Malfoy laughed. "I would advise you to avoid finding out what kind of curse Hermione used. Sometimes it's wiser to remain ignorant."
His eyes danced in amusement. "You are such a snake, Granger." He must have guessed what Hermione had done.
Harry wondered about that. His eyes briefly met Hermione's and he thought he saw his answer there, but he could not be sure.
"Rina, what about the seventh years farewell party?" Malfoy had turned to his eldest, who was deep in conversation with the boy from Hufflepuff. "Do you want to return to Hogwarts for your last night there?"
The Hufflepuff boy began to plead for Rina to come and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Can Colin and I go back as well? And you fetch us tomorrow, from platform 9 3/4, mum, dad?" That was the other daughter. "All our stuff is still at Hogwarts."
"Dad can take you there." Hermione said. "And when he returns, the rest of us will leave with the van, after some recovery."
She turned to Narcissa Malfoy. "You can join us, so you won't have to stay here in the half-burned house."
"I would gladly see your home." Narcissa inclined her head.
Hermione frowned. "We still have to change the tire."
"I should go as well," Neville sounded tired. "There is something I have to do."
"Or do you need to go to St Mungo's?" He turned to Pansy.
"Nev," Pansy held out her hand. "I'm better. Just hurry."
"I will be right back." Neville smiled. "Draco can side-along us home. I'm sure Astoria can handle the students on the train tomorrow."
"I'll come with you," Harry announced. When they both looked at him, he shrugged. "I think there is something I have to do as well."
He called for James and Richard.
Professor Flitwick made several portkeys and they landed directly in front of the Great Hall. Neville strode to the doors and swung them open.
The Great Hall was decorated in Gryffindor colours. The students were lined up, ready for the feast, but there was no food on the tables. When the teachers made their way slowly to the front, the fear on their faces gave slowly way to relief.
Harry saw Rachel Zabini jump up from the Ravenclaw table. She reached Colin after a short run and hugged him.
The Hufflepuffs greeted Lizzie Malfoy with enthusiasm. The Gryffindors sat dazed. Harry spotted David Finnigan whose face was a mixture of relief and worry.
Flitwick's magically amplified voice carried his words to every corner of the hall, assuring the students that everyone was all right, that the feast could get started in a few minutes.
Harry could see Neville gesturing in a talk with Flitwick and Flitwick pointed his wand at his throat. Neville surely was beyond exhausted if he could not cast a simple sonorus.
"Gryffindors." Neville addressed his house. "Do not say I haven't warned you about this. I explicitly forbade the trial of courage and I am extremely put out that it nevertheless was started against my wishes."
David Finnigan jumped up. "Professor Longbottom!"
Neville gestured at him to sit down. "I am fully aware that James went against your will. But sometimes there are consequences when we are not careful enough. My wife, my friends and four children almost died. And I am not inclined to be lenient. You should have destroyed that portkey."
He nodded at the headmaster. Professor Flitwick pointed his wand at the house hourglasses that sat at the walls of the Great Hall. The red jewels in the Gryffindor hourglass vanished all at once.
The Gryffindors groaned collectively. Slytherin had the lead now. The Slytherins stared at the hour glasses, not entirely trusting their luck.
"Contrary to my warning you will not start the next school year with negative house points and for that you can thank Colin Granger-Malfoy who proved himself true to his house today when he held the sword of Godric Gryffindor and showed courage, not foolhardiness and Richard Weasley for trying to be the voice of reason. For now, you will go down to the kitchen, fetch the food and take over for the elves who won't be returning."
"Hufflepuff will start the new year with 100 points awarded to Lizzie Granger-Malfoy for keeping a cool head in a dire situation."
The Gryffindors sat subdued.
"To the kitchens, now" Neville told them. It was a tribute to his authority that the Gryffindors almost scrambled over each other in their eagerness to do his bidding.
The Gryffindors rushed to the kitchen, while Harry asked Professor Flitwick, if he could go to the headmaster's office.
When Harry returned, the Gryffindors were sitting again and everybody was eating. Apparently, the food had all been ready, when the elves had abandoned the kitchens in their rush for freedom and the Gryffindors had been lucky that they did not need to prepare the food.
The Hufflepuff table was abuzz. The Slytherins were clustered around Rina. Malfoy had taken a seat with his eldest.
Harry sat down at their table at James' side. A few seats further on, Colin was talking with Rachel and everyone around was listening as he told what had happened. When Colin saw Harry, he interrupted himself.
"Mr Potter. Thank you for your letter. It was very helpful."
Harry nodded to him. "How?"
"Doing it voluntarily was the key." Colin smiled. Rachel asked something and he turned away again.
"Dad," James asked. "Why did you bring the sorting hat? That's the sorting hat in your hand, isn't it?"
Harry studied his son's face and wondered if he had been as reckless as James. Maybe in fifth year, when he had started his ill-advised rescue mission to free Sirius.
"Because there is something you need to know about your father, and Richard about his uncle."
He put the hat on his head.
"You, again. Harry James Potter. I don't really know, why you revisit me for my opinion. I'd still put you into Slytherin."
"Do you care to say that out loud?" Harry asked him.
"Harry James Potter, ambitious, cunning, an able wizard. I'd still put you into Slytherin."
James' mouth fell open. The Gryffindors around them had fallen silent.
"But you know that already, Mr Potter, why ask again?"
"Your decision is also about what people learn, not only about who they are. What would I have learned in Slytherin that I did not learn in Gryffindor?"
"You tell me, Mr Potter." The hat sounded smug.
"I would have learned other aspects of friendship than I learned in Gryffindor. To let my friends be as they are. To better know my own heart and my own needs."
"Why do you insist on putting me on, when you know that already?"
Harry took the hat off. "Because my son has to know."
He looked at James and Richard and smiled at his son. "The hat put me into Gryffindor, because I wanted to be put there."
"The hat would have put you into Slytherin?"
Harry turned and saw Neville and Malfoy, about ready to leave. Harry could not have said if Malfoy sounded amused or taken aback.
When he began to chuckle, amusement had clearly won over. "Imagine Potter, we might have shared a dorm."
Harry scowled.
"And we might both have played for the Slytherin team. Instead of duelling we might have been partners in charms… And…"
Harry waved at him to stop him. "I get the general idea, Malfoy."
"I wanted to be put into Hufflepuff." Neville blurted out. "But the hat put me into Gryffindor because I needed to learn courage."
"And it's a good thing you learned that," Harry was glad for the distraction. "Some people might have died today otherwise."
Malfoy laid his hand on Neville's shoulder. "That certainly was no small feat. I'd say it's worth a perpetual permit to snitch cookie dough."
"Draco, I do not snitch cookie dough."
Malfoy arched an eyebrow. "Neither Gryffindors nor Puffs are good at lying."
Neville shook his head, but there was a smile tugged in at the corner of his lips.
"We should return to the manor, Harry. You'll want to fetch Ginny. And I want Pansy at home. And Draco has a – how is it called – tyar to switch."
Harry stood and waved his wand and banished the hat to his usual place.
Neville was still too exhausted to do any spell, and Harry was still somewhat knackered. So Malfoy side-alonged them all to the Manor, once they had left the grounds at Hogwarts. It felt strange to be in such close proximity to Malfoy.
Ginny was sitting on the grass, chatting lively with Hermione and Pansy. Hermione's daughter Meg was sleeping, her head in her mother's lap. They had spread out a blanket and apparently, they had plundered some of the contents of the Manor's kitchen. The small boy was sitting at his grandmother's feet, leaning against her legs. Everyone else had left.
It was a peaceful sight and Harry desperately wanted to be part of it.
Ginny smiled when they strode up to them. Her smile was warm, and her face lacked the strain of the past weeks. Harry tried to drink in her joy, burn it into his heart to make it warmer.
She stood and Harry boldly took her hand and was glad that she did not shrink back. He searched her face and tried to blank out everyone else, Pansy hugging Neville, Malfoy letting himself fall next to his mother and Hermione.
"Now, that the dementor problem seems to be solved, I was thinking about taking a sabbatical." Harry told her, watching the sun play in Ginny's red hair.
"A sabbatical?"
"Yes, a year off, to sort things out." His statement was followed by silence.
He could feel the blood creeping into his face. From the edge of his vision he saw Hermione and Pansy shooting scrutinizing looks at him.
"I wonder, if a year will be enough for that," Pansy scoffed.
"You told Dudley, you would talk to me again, if I came to the rescue." Harry said.
Pansy laughed. "I did. But I made no promises about how I would talk with you. And you must admit that rescue stretches it somewhat."
"Possibly," Harry admitted. "But not for lack of trying."
"I can grant you that." Neville scoffed.
"Now, Harry, bring Neville and me home and make us some more sandwiches and I might consider talking civilly to you again."
"What about you?" Harry asked Hermione. "Should I make a portkey for you?"
He did not know, if he wanted her to take his offer.
"No need," Hermione shook her head. "Draco is a wizard again, remember? And we'll probably just take the van. We have to get it home somehow anyway."
She grimaced. "Preferably without speeding."
Harry studied her. She looked tired, but not too tired.
"Did you even curse George?" It was worth a shot.
Hermione arched an eyebrow but did not answer. Harry studied her face.
"People will believe things they are afraid of," he finally said.
"Or what they desperately want to be true." Hermione picked herself up to stand beside Pansy.
"Or that," Harry conceded.
Malfoy stood as well, his movement smooth and supple. Hermione took his hand.
"How did Dudley get hold of you, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"He came to Grimmauld."
Then it hit him. "Oh Merlin. He probably still sits there and waits for me. We really have to go home."
Notes:
So, three more wrap-up chapters to go. I hope you like how things get sorted out in this chapter.
Thanks to @marydri for reading in advance and giving me feedback!
Chapter 110: Unexpected presents (August 8, 2020)
Summary:
Draco and Hermione have a barbecue in their garden - which is also a belated birthday party for Draco.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Could you set the table outside, Colin?" Draco asked his son.
"We are in the middle of a game, dad." Colin grumbled. He and Rachel both sat with bent heads over a game.
"Colin!"
"Why don't you just wave your wand and do it yourself, dad. You're a wizard."
"Because Malcolm and Saima are sitting outside and would get a heart attack, and we still live in the middle of muggle London."
"Why don't you ask Rina?"
"Because Rina helped already with the cake. And she has a visitor as well." It was difficult not to check on Rina and the obviously smitten John every half hour, but he would not pester his daughter. He would not be an overprotective dad. The Lady Malfoy could fend for herself if she even needed to.
Colin muttered something under his breath, but he stood. Rachel in her usual good-natured way stood as well, and both children went outside.
"Has Colin finally hit puberty?" Blaise entered the kitchen.
Draco looked with dismay at the empty plate in Blaise's hand. "Have you finished all the raspberry tarts already?"
"Yes, they were supposed to be eaten, weren't they?"
"Yes, but I promised Neville he would get some."
Blaise shrugged. "His loss. I am not sorry. They should be on time for your birthday party. Even if Neville swung the sword of Gryffindor to save you all."
Draco rolled his eyes. "You were early, Blaise. I can't believe my mother did not prevent you from finishing them all."
"Your mother helped." Blaise's teeth flashed. "And your in-laws. Hermione ate the most."
Draco shook his head. Blaise was probably lying. He knew that Draco would not chide his still too thin mother for relishing tarts and certainly not his pregnant wife.
Blaise took a seat on the kitchen counter. "How do you feel about Lily Potter being all chummy with your Meg?"
"She's also chummy with Penny".
Luna had yet to arrive. She had taken Meg, Lizzie, Lily Potter, and her own Penny on a stroll. Draco wondered about that. Usually Blaise and she did these kinds of strolls together. And Rachel certainly did not need Blaise to look after her.
Draco remembered that he still had raspberries in the freezer. He opened its door and wondered if he would get the raspberries defrosted in time if he put them on the cooker.
Blaise laughed. "I really hope they won't be sorted into the same house. The disaster twins would have nothing on this disaster trio."
"You'll stop laughing, once we will be getting summoned by Flitwick about every fortnight." Draco put on his oven mitt to angle for the raspberries.
"They are girls. They won't be caught as often as the Pott-Weasels."
"I sincerely hope so. I could imagine better pastimes than sitting in Flitwick's office side by side with Potter."
"About Potter," Blaise inhaled deeply.
Draco turned and looked at him sharply. So that was why Luna was not here yet.
Blaise frowned for a short moment and looked at Draco's hand with the oven mitt and the raspberries. He shook his head and looked pointedly at the oven mitt.
"What?" Draco asked, irritated.
"Draco, you're a wizard, remember?"
Draco looked at the raspberries and laughed. "Oh my, I'm so used to doing all this without a wand."
He put the raspberries on a plate and reached into the back pocket of his jeans for his brand-new wand. He defrosted the raspberries with a flick.
"What's your new wand made of?" Blaise asked.
"Hawthorn, unicorn hair core," Draco answered.
"Isn't that interesting", Blaise mused. "It's a bit longer than your old wand."
"Hermione was …. moved." He didn't know how else to describe it. His wife had cried. "She thinks that I was never meant to become a dark wizard."
Draco looked at his left arm, where the dark mark had faded to barely visible greyish lines within hours of him regaining his magic. That had been the moment his eyes had become moist. He would never need to wear a band over the mark again.
Draco took a bowl and began to mix butter, eggs, flour, and sugar for the tarts. Neville should get his favourites.
"So, about Potter…" He prompted his friend. It was so unlike Blaise to deflect.
"Potter confessed."
"Did he now?"
"He said, he never told anyone."
Draco wondered where this would lead.
"I sort of guessed it," he told Blaise. "Because Potter knew I tried my hand at a second batch of Phoenix Potion. And that he was privy to some information was the only plausible explanation. But to give him his due, he also confessed to me and Hermione."
Blaise licked his lips.
Draco shook his head. "Just spit it out, Blaise. What happened?"
"I don't know how to tell you," Blaise whispered.
Draco closed his eyes and tried to evoke a possible scenario in front of his inner eye. Potter with his unruly hair, fidgeting with his glasses, studying his nails. Blaise would have been livid. He could picture Blaise losing it, maybe even going so far as to actually pummel Potter. Luna with her big blue eyes and her trusting face. He tried to picture disappointment and distrust shadowing Luna's face.
He knew it then. Why Blaise had said 'Potter', when he had called him Harry ever since he had begun wooing Luna.
"Luna forgave him."
Blaise's face was unhappy.
"And you took it upon yourself to break the news to Hermione and me."
"She pitied him immediately. Immediately. She was crying about the fact that he has carried this dreadful mistake in his heart all these years, all alone, without a hope of deliverance. She was devastated."
Blaise sighed. "She was also devastated about what that meant for you and Hermione. How you could have been redeemed years ago. How the contact ban might have been lifted. She cried for hours. Through three of my shirts."
"And because Luna forgave him, you did as well." Draco stated.
Blaise nodded. "I promised her I'd tolerate Potter for her sake."
"Luna would not be Luna, if she would not feel pity for Potter. We love her for her kindness and compassion, after all." Draco inhaled deeply. "I can't chide you for backing your wife. You're supposed to support her."
Blaise's face was flooded with sudden relief.
"We've managed for years to handle the situation. We will continue to handle it."
"You are not angry?"
"If I had thought about it beforehand, I would have guessed that Luna would imitate a fountain, once she saw Potter's pain."
"Luna is too good for this world."
"That is true enough, but I have been the subject of her kindness to my never-ending gratitude. So, I can hardly complain that she bestows the same kindness on others, even if I think Potter does not deserve her friendship."
Blaise gave him a lopsided grin, as if he wanted to test the waters. "I remember someone telling an audience, that it's very difficult to define what we deserve."
Draco had to laugh. "My happiness does not depend on other people being unhappy or worse off than me. That would be far too stressful."
Blaise chimed in with his laughter.
"Now, another awkward question… " he arched an eyebrow. "How did the operation go?"
"All smooth. I doused myself with Phoenix Potion just to be perfectly sure, that no lingering elves' blessing would be triggered, and everything went well."
"And it really did not mess up with… " Blaise gestured at Draco's trousers.
"With our sex life? No. A vasectomy does not induce impotence, Blaise, just infertility. Really, knowing Hermione for years should have taught you that muggle medicine has its perks."
"You could have done a spell," Blaise said. "The elves are free. Their blessing should be ineffectual now."
Draco scoffed. "And what if it lingers? I would not risk that. Thank you. It was just seven days of being slightly uncomfortable. And no complaints since."
He grinned. Hermione had moved past the period of morning sickness and had reached the highly agreeable state of being in the middle of her pregnancy. Draco loved it. Her curls were even messier than normal but springy and vibrant and she looked lively and radiant and in Draco's opinion incredibly sexy.
Blaise still looked still very sceptical.
Draco had finished the dough for the tarts and filled it in baking pans. It was only when Blaise shook his head again, that he realised he had forgotten about his wand again.
"I will probably take me another twenty years to get used to magic again."
He shoved the baking pans into the oven.
When the doorbell rang, Blaise went to open the door, because Draco was preoccupied with preparing the raspberries for the filling of the cakes.
"I thought, we had finished all the baking?" Rina came into the kitchen and that ever smiling Hufflepuff in her wake.
"The raspberry tarts were too much of a success. All vanished already."
"Can John stay, dad?" Rina asked.
Draco tried his best not to shoot a dirty look at that far too cheerful young man. He nodded curtly.
"Thank you, Mr Malfoy." There was that wide grin again.
Draco heard many voices at the door, chattering lively and on top of each other. Hermione came in from the garden. She wore her dark navy pregnancy skirt. It was her favourite because it was immensely practical and Draco's because it showed her legs.
"Oh, you made more," she said, when she saw the raspberry filling. "hmm."
"I promised some to Neville, so don't you eat them all. I've already defrosted all the raspberries that we had left."
Hermione edged closer and before Draco could prevent it, she had put her finger into the bowl.
"Heh", Draco scolded her.
She grinned, unabashed, and put the finger into her mouth. "I can never decide if it's better baked or raw."
She licked her finger and winked. Before she could put her finger in the bowl again, Draco caught her hand and pulled her in his arms.
"No, no, not again. Once is enough." He kissed her.
Luna entered the kitchen, and the riddle of the many voices was solved. The Weaselette and her bunch of children were towed in by Luna. The Weaselette wore a loose cream coloured summer dress that flowed around her. Draco did not know how he felt about the fact that their twins would probably share a class with another Potter child.
Richard Weasley was standing at the kitchen door, hopping from one foot to the other, smiling shyly.
"Good afternoon, Mr Malfoy, Ms Malfoy."
"What is this?" Rina asked. "A Pott-Weasel invasion?"
"No invasion. We just wanted to drop off a present."
Draco blinked. "A present."
"Yes, is Colin here?" James Potter had materialised behind his cousin.
"He is in the garden, setting the table with Rachel."
"I'll fetch him." John volunteered.
When Colin came in from outside, he arched an eyebrow at his classmates.
"What is this? Infestation by the Pott-Weasels?"
"You Malfoys outnumber us," James said.
Richard opened a bag that sported the trademark of George Weasley's joke shop.
Draco scrunched his nose.
"It's not from the shop," Ginny Potter reassured him. "We made them ourselves."
Richard took out several mugs. Three dark green, two of a deep purple red, two white and one black.
"For tea." James explained.
"I do have an inkling what mugs are for." Draco said.
"We haven't properly said thank you yet," James said. "And this is a reminder of our ill-advised adventure at Malfoy Manor."
"Hopefully, my only adventure ever," Richard's mien was serious.
"So, you told us repeatedly on our ride back on the Hogwarts express," Colin said.
"Richard seems wise beyond his age." Draco picked up one of the green mugs. "Slytherin green."
"You really should pour some tea into them." Ginny Potter told him. Draco could have sworn there was a twinkle in her eye.
Hermione had waved her wand already and the teakettle began to sing within seconds.
"Hot water is sufficient."
Draco lined up the mugs. "These are not going to explode in my face?"
"Of course not. Pinky-promise." Richard looked eager.
Hermione took the kettle and poured hot water into the mugs.
The colours of the mugs swirled and one by one the mugs changed and showed images. They were nice pieces of magical craftsmanship. Draco supposed the dark green mug that sported a white shining dragon hunting dark shadows was his. The other Slytherin mug held his mother's swan and Rina's showed a picture of the Manor. The sword of Gryffindor was on Colin's mug and on Hermione's her white otter ran weaving shiny silvery magical strands. For Meg, they had chosen blue water that fell on flames extinguishing them, for Lizzie, there was the portkey shawl and on Robert's mug there was an abundance of balloons.
Draco was moved despite himself.
"Tut! Underage magic under the nose of the head auror," he tsked.
"James and Richard got a temporary shelter for making them at our house. Harry has no idea." Luna put her head around the corner and gave Draco a timid smile. "And technically Pansy is head auror at the moment."
"We didn't actually see your dragon, so we let our imagination run." Ginny Potter told him. "We just saw that photo in the prophet." Somehow the young photographer who had already hunted them down several times had managed to take a picture of the dragon. The destruction of the dementors and the damage that had simultaneously occurred on every house of the Sacred Twenty-Eight had been the talk of wizarding community for weeks. When Draco had bought his wand, he had had to fend off the nosy prophet journalists.
"I might not be averse to drinking my tea out of this mug." Draco tried to school his face. There were far too many people in his kitchen to become emotional.
Hermione fake-punched him.
"This means he loves them in Malfoy" Luna commented. "That was a success, boys."
Her eyes pleaded with him, as if that were necessary.
"We all like them," Rina hugged her godmother. "I'm sure Robert will be beside himself and grandmadam will be ever so gracious about it."
The other children chimed in, even Colin.
"The mugs will get a special place." Draco promised. Richard answered with a shy smile. How had the annoying Weasel ever managed to get a child like that? Draco did not voice that thought out loud.
"And I have something else." James fished something from his pocket. "Mum, Richard and I retrieved these from the Malfoy grounds. I did not dare to try to repair them though."
He put the remnants of Lizzie's bracelet and Colin's ring on the kitchen counter. Lizzie squealed with joy.
Hermione picked them up.
"Thank you, James, Ginny." She scrutinized the jewellery.
"Look, the stone is still intact." She showed Draco the ring.
"We'll be off again, now. We don't want to intrude. Boys, Lily, come!" Ginny Potter laid a hand on her son's and her nephew's shoulders.
She smiled at Draco. "Have a nice party, Draco."
"Thank you."
"See you on the Hogwarts Express, Colin," James waved. "We'll get that house cup next year, with your help."
"I know, you don't care about that." Richard added. "But it would be such a shame if we wouldn't take advantage of having you."
"Try not to get into trouble." Colin waved in return. "Or at least don't get caught."
Ginny Potter rolled her eyes and gave a quick wave before she ushered the Pott-Weasel invasion force out of the kitchen.
"Everyone out of my kitchen. I won't give raspberry tarts to anyone in advance. Get outside and we'll start with the barbecue in half an hour."