March 2007
Harry blinked slowly at the overwhelming stack of paperwork tottering on his " in" basket. Being Squadron leader and climbing up the rank to Head Auror had been a lot more desk time than he could have ever imagined.
It was warm and quiet in here. Lily had moved on from little newborn cries to full-blown screams, so he could do with a nap-just a little nap-make it look like he was reading up on some laws.
He'd just opened the book when a brisk knock and a sudden entrance ripped his hopes away.
"Potter. I need your signature on this letter of recommendation I wrote to Robards for an assistant. I'm taking extended paternity leave, so the department should prepare for that. I'm sure you all will be in my Floo every day. Were you...were you napping?" Draco shoved the letter under Harry's nose and commandeered a chair across from his desk.
"No," Harry grumbled, straightening his glasses and reading the letter. " I see you've already filled in my opinion for me as well, great. Theo Nott?Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Technically, he's more qualified than me- having a mastery. But in actual practicality, he's married to Luna and prone to her...traveling whims…" He rolled his eyes. "But she's off in the Himalayas for quite some while so he needs something to do during the day."
Harry blinked slowly. "Are they...alright?"
Draco shook his head. "They are sickeningly happy and don't believe in ever locking the floo. Unfortunately I witnessed it for myself…" he cringed. "Theo just hates the cold. They write very detailed letters, though."
"Better you than me." He signed the letter with a flourish. "Anything else?"
We need a keeper since Isaac aged out last year, and we still never properly replaced Teddy. James will age out next year as well, so we should look for an alternate for him . Any chance of getting Albus on a broom yet?"
Harry shook his head. "Any luck with Evelyn?"
"Hates it. Might have to move Rose to another team then…" He carded a hand through his hair, thinking for a moment.
"There's someone else that could -"
"Don't say it -"
"Parents would love for a pro -"
"You'd best be talking about your wife then, Potter."
"Awfully hard to travel with a baby…"
Draco ripped the letter out of Harry's hand and stood. "No. I made this from the ground up. I did this for Rose. Not him."
Harry leaned back in his chair. "Ron's got just as much right to do things for her too. You've always been the first for a lot of things. Who taught her to feint? To throw off when she's being tailed? How to roll?"
"I did."
"Who bandaged her first injury?"
"Me."
"That's right. And who taught her to dive?"
"...that was you…"
Harry laughed. "Yeah. Hermione's still upset at me. Now she can yell at someone else too. The point is I think it may be time to hand over the purple team to someone else. At least until the next kids are ready to fly."
Draco ground his jaw in thought. "Fine, but only until then. "
April 2007
"Sorry...sorry I'm late!" Susan came running into her office, crashing into a footstool and swearing as her foot collided with it. "I was helping with a delivery of triplets! Needed all hands on deck obviously, and the last baby…" she took in a gulp of air, pulling her hair back from her face."Got Stuck. Decided to come out arse first...that poor woman. My Circe…took twice as long as the first two combined."
Hermione crossed her legs and cringed in sympathetic pains, clutching the edge of the table. Draco stared at a blank space on the wall, trying to occlude the images that came to mind.
Susan gathered herself and stood over Hermione. "Everything going ok? Nothing unusual to report?" Hermione shook her head in response.
"No. The morning sickness has passed, and I feel great, actually. "
"Felt any kicking yet?"
"Oh yes, but it stops every time he goes to feel. Must be a boy to be this stubborn," she couldn't barely contain the excitement in her voice.
Susan made some notes in her chart. "Wonderful. Well, let's find out then, shall we?" Performing the same complex movements as last time, the image reappeared, this time featuring the form of a baby instead of just an orb. "Hello, baby….Granger-Malfoy?"
"Just...just Malfoy…" Hermione said quietly, wiping away a few happy tears that were escaping. Draco had both hands wrapped around her one, staring again in awe.
"Alright, baby Malfoy, oh...legs are crossed… let's see if we can just...-" The Healer prodded Hermione's belly with her wand. The baby responded with a sharp kick without unfolding its legs. "Try talking to it, Draco."
Feeling supremely stupid but encouraged by Hermione's enthusiastic nods, Draco leaned in to the top of her belly. "Hi. It's daddy...do you think you could, uncross your legs...just for a second, so we know what to name you? Please?" There was a sharp kick, hard enough for Hermione to hiss in pain. Draco leaned in closer. "Look, I know it's unbecoming of a Malfoy, but it's just the three of us..."
The baby stilled just for a second, then rolled on its side, showing just its back to them. Hermione prodded the sides of her belly. "Hello in there...your Grans won't leave me alone about what we'll call you...Oh, my gods. Look it's a…"
"I knew it…" Susan mused, pausing in her note-taking.
Teddy's birthday party raged in full force all around them. Draco had long disappeared with the kids leaving Hermione to be cornered by Narcissa, Andromeda, and Ginny. She sipped her water, pretending not to know why they were staring at her.
"Can I help you?" she responded coolly to their stares.
"Well...out with it..." Andromeda insisted. "Ginny was shouting " Finally Lily!" from the Healers office as soon as she knew, but we haven't heard a word from you…"
"Healthy." Hermione mused, watching the other witches get increasingly frustrated. "Hopefully born the right way 'round."
"Dora tried to come out feet first." Andromeda winced. "The midwife had me rolling like a beached whale to get her right."
Narcissa sighed heavily. "Draco was born at 3 am with hardly enough time to get the Healer. Mostly leg, but cute as the devil."
"That hasn't changed." Hermione laughed.
"Yes, we all know you're head over heels! Tell us, Hermione!" Ginny had lost her patience. Baby Lily was being passed around to give her a much-needed break as making the jump from 2 to three had proven more than she anticipated.
She sighed and rested an arm on the crest of her belly. "It's a Lyra. I let Draco name her since he'll be vastly outnumbered by witches - " Ginny and Andromeda let out exclamations of happiness, while Narcissa touched her mouth in shock.
"So...that's it then…" Cissa whispered.
Hermione nodded. "Draco's the end of the lines. Well, traditionally anyway, we seem to have thoroughly thrown the traditions all off at this point."
The Malfoy matriarch nodded. "As long as he's happy, as long as you're all happy…may I tell Lucius?"
Hermione shrugged. "Yes. I can't see where it makes a difference whether he knows or not."
All the portraits in Malfoy Manor were abuzz. Not only was the next Malfoy to be half-blood, but a girl.
Yes, Phineas with a constellation name…
Yes, I suppose they are still young…
No, they say they won't be having another…
But the name! What will happen to the Malfoy name?!
Maybe Draco will remarry…
Well, if the mudblood won't provide an heir, perhaps he'll see sense and settle with a proper wife…
Still! The scandal!
Should have never mixed with the Black family! They never could keep it in their trousers…
Say that to my portrait, Brutus -
Gladly Phineas -
"SILENCE!" called Lucius, and all the whispering hushed at once. Lucius slowly poured himself a drink, refusing to look at Narcissa. He chuckled darkly as he took a sip.
The witch studied him, well-practiced in all the years they had been married. "What do you know, Lucius?"
He chuckled even louder. "The rate that muggles reproduce...the way that... girl ...has our son ensnared so thoroughly. You think there won't be anymore...offspring from that union…" his lip curled, and he knocked back the rest of the drink. "Granger is no fool, unfortunately, she'll do what she must to get to our fortunes."
Narcissa brought a hand to her temple in exasperation. "You've become paranoid in your old age Lucius. They are so happy together, and our son and granddaughter are so loved. You're missing it all by refusing to change your ways."
"I'm not missing anything Cissa, I'm refusing to be a part of it; there's a difference. I have no desire to be a part of a world where we interact with blood traitors and muggles." Lucius leaned heavily on his cane and sunk into a high back armchair.
"You are hardly more than middle age for a wizard!" Narcissa shouted with hardly contained rage. "And we spent the first half of our lives in war. Now it's a time for peace and enjoying what we have left!"
Lucius shook his head, still laughing quietly.
May 2007
"What ARE you doing?" Hermione demanded, arms folded over her chest, looking thoroughly flushed. Draco sat up, closing ' A Modern Guide to Modern Potion Mastery ', and glanced around the quiet and clean living room.
"Can't a bloke read for a few minutes after wrestling his stubborn offspring to sleep? Something besides 'The Princess and the Dragon'?" Thoroughly annoyed, he chewed hard on the inside of his cheek. "I didn't harass you about working late, even when Bones said you should start to slow down. I know Rose was almost born in a lift -"
"The girls are in bed?" Hermione unfolded her arms. I didn't even ask you to do that and you were just thoughtful and took care of it anyway. Then there you are, looking all... you... and are you thinking of a Mastery? I didn't even know that! And you've gone and got glasses -" Draco snatched the reading glasses off the end of his nose and flushed furiously. "I just wanted to take a hot shower and sleep. "
"Wait...are you actually mad at me or yourself?"
"Don't...don't smirk at me like that. Stop it. I'm tired."
"Are you….are you tired, Hermione?"
"Yes. Exhausted."
"You're a terrible liar." He pulled his glasses back on and reopened the book. "I was thinking of starting towards it during paternity leave, which I plan to take a lot of. You know, study during the day while she naps. You'll want to get back to work as soon as possible, but I don't want my career to languish too." She gave a little gasping moan. "I'm going to have to brush up on Latin and Italian while I'm at it too." He dared a glance up to her parted lips, bruised from biting at them and dark eyes with pupils blown wide.
"Upstairs...now…" it was whispered but a command. "Bring the book."
"As you wish."
Chapter 19: Lyra part 1
Summary:
The family gets good news and bad news while baby Lyra is on her way.
Notes:
Thank you all so much again. I promise I won't leave you on a cliff hanger, at this point you can trust me right ;)?
Chapter Text
July 30, 2007
Draco stared at the bottom of his last cleaned cauldron. This was it. His paperwork was filed, his projects at stopping points, and his first day of paternity leave started the next day.
He should have been thinking of his proposal for a new potion for the mastery board. His application had only been accepted after the seventh attempt was attached to a particularly vocal screech owl he'd rented. If the idea wasn't perfect and his formula foolproof, he'd never get to submit it.
Something was humming at the edge of his magic. Maybe Hermione was having the baby...that would be like her, determined to finish a meeting or evaluation before giving birth.
The squeaky wheel of the mail cart from the owlery distracted him. Theo was already hanging out of the bottom half of the dutch door, ready to pester the intern.
The orange button that marked him as an interdepartmental summer intern clashed terribly with his Weasley-ish orange hair and spots. He was terrified of the pair and shook violently when he had to hand them mail.
Harassing the poor lad was Theo's favorite part of the day.
Now, as his trembling hands reached for a stack of envelopes marked off for their department, the young wizard swallowed a lump in his throat.
"You're...you're Nott and Malfoy."
"Oh, look, Draco, they've taught the interns to read."
The intern stammered. "I mean...you were death eaters...weren't you?"
Draco snatched the stack of mail and turned on his heel. Theo said in a hushed whisper. "Oh, that. Dark days those were…"
"Didn't you...kill people?"
Theo gave a dramatic sigh. "I killed a man. Put a gun against his head. Pull the trigger…now he's dead…"
"Theo, no."
"With a muggle gun?"
The dark-haired wizard let out a fake sob. " Mamaaaaa! Life had just begun! And now I've gone and ...thrown it all away!"
The intern backed up quickly, brandishing his wand. "They let you work here?! "
"Mmmaaaaaammmaaaa…sing with me Draco! "
" No, Theo. " Draco waved the stack of mail at the intern. "Get out of here."
"DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU CRY -"
The intern bolted for the lift, leaving all the mail behind. Draco whacked Theo round the head with the mail while his friend laughed wildly.
"Wow. You must be channeling your wife with that bitchy-ness. Feeling labor pains yet?" Theo jabbed, rubbing the sore spot on his head.
The blond plopped back down in his seat, carding his fingers through his hair. " I'm afraid to leave you alone here. I get to do what I'm good at, alone, all day, keeping my own hours. Don't fuck this up for me."
The lift dinged from down the hall. Both wizards looked down l to see who it was, rarely ever getting visitors except for the Department of Mysteries shifts and maybe the odd trial or two in the abandoned courtroom.
Hermione grinned widely when she saw him looking. Even though a pink flush already stained her face from the effort of being so heavily pregnant, stray curls poked through her messy bun and she wore two different black shoes.
Well, Theo could walk into that trap; he'd already been on the end of pregnancy ire one too many times.
Despite being slightly less than put together, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. A sense of awe caught him off guard that the baby in her belly would be here in days.
"Don't say anything about my shoes. I know, and I don't care," she announced, slowly making her way down the hall.
"Granger, you're going to burst."
" Theo, no."
"It's alright. I know what I look like. And apparently, all of DMLE got together and gave me an extra day off as a baby shower gift." She was puffing from the effort of walking and talking. Draco was poised to open the door and usher her into a chair, but she caught him before he could move. "If I sit down, I won't get back up. I thought we could go on a lunch date, one last one before the baby gets here?" She tried to smile, but it was interrupted by a grimace of pain.
"Of course, but why didn't you just send me a note or a Patronus?" Draco was already summoning his things, excited for the excuse to leave.
"At the time, I was so mad at them I didn't want to wait for your answer. In the space in between then, I had a little cry in the loo, plotted revenge in the lift, but now that I see you, I'm happy again." Theo retreated quietly behind Draco. "I want to go Muggle this time. Someplace with Fish and Chips...and mint chocolate chip ice cream after... "
"It's 10 am…" Theo mumbled.
"I can still tell time, Theodore!" the witch snapped, her voice growing shrill.
Draco gave him a look you should have known better. "Whatever you want, dearest."
Hermione beamed again. Theo made a mental note to brush up on contraceptive charms.
Hermione looked down into the paper-lined basket now empty of the food she had so rapidly consumed. Draco was still eating his, watching the people on the street mill by, expression far away. He caught Hermione's eye and pushed his basket across the table towards her.
"Oh, I didn't mean…"
"You don't have to mean. I want you to. Anything for you to be as healthy as possible before…" gray eyes dropped her belly.
She grabbed his hand from the basket and locked their fingers together. "I'm fine. It's going to be great. We're finally going to get to meet her. I hope she has your hair." Hermione wiggled their joined hands. He finally gave her a slight smirk.
"There's something I have to tell you." her voice wasn't as strong as she hoped it would have been, and his face dropped, sending her heart right after it. "Overall, it's a good thing."
"Okay…"
She sucked in a breath, willing to keep her eyes locked on his face. "When I get back from maternity leave, Robards wants to hand the department over to me. He wants me to be running Magical law enforcement by myself at the end of the year. "
"That's wonderful, love! I knew it was only a matter of time…" the new smile didn't reach his eyes, and the tension in his shoulders said his guard was still up.
"The department head goes through an extensive background check process. Their records, homes….vaults…every vault I have access to...has to be checked for dark artifacts."
"Oh."
"Unless you want to rescind my access to the Malfoy and Black vaults, which I would totally understand, we could just move everything to mine or a new one or…"
Draco pulled at his finger, popping the knuckle, a tic that happened only when he was genuinely nervous. "If we don't let them, you'll be constantly suspected of things, and you're already under constant unnecessary scrutiny." He flinched as the knuckle popped too hard. "My mother let the Ministry run wild on the Black vaults shortly after the war. Fortunately, it seems the most terrible of objects, Bellatrix had seized and moved to the Lestrange vaults before even then... The Malfoy vaults…"
"Your father?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Was extremely uncooperative. Bribed anyone he could to swing things his way, and eventually, the investigation just...went away. For access to the heirloom vaults, that's still all him. My personal vault is only gold and a few things for Rose and Evelyn to access if they need it. And Lyra." He caught himself on the last part of the sentence.
"Robards told me to think about it after the baby is born. It's a lot of late nights and stuffy dinner events, really more suited to a single per- " Hermione clutched at her belly as a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.
Draco looked calm but stood quickly, helping her up out of the booth. "Probably just a Brickston -"
"Braxton- Hicks." Corrected Hermione.
"Probably just time to go home." he finished. "Our daughter isn't sharing a birthday with Potter."
"Actually, today is Neville's birthday. Tomorrow's is Harry's. "
"Wow. Just when I thought I couldn't want August to be here any sooner. There it is."
At home, seated on the couch, Hermione, with her feet propped up in Draco's lap, stared at their youngest, soon-to-be middle daughter.
"I have my bag packed for Aunt Daffy's. But I have a request…" Evelyn held up a piece of paper with some words scribbled in crayon, the capital " E" of her name backward on a bottom. With her chin tilted high in the air, she looked as if she were giving a speech to a crowd. "I've decided that I'm not willing to share Daddy with another sister. Rose is fine, she can stay, but I'm not willing to divide my time or daddy's attention any further. I'm going to live with Aunt Daffy until we've reached an agreement. Sign here, preferably in blood or pink crayon. "
"Evi...that's not…" Draco stumbled, racking his mind on an explanation of all the things wrong with what she just said.
"Evelyn...love…" Hermione said, sitting up more. "Are you worried your daddy will stop paying attention to you when the baby is here?"
Her bottom lip trembled. "I was supposed to be the only girl Malfoy. It's what made me special. And this one will be all...new and cute and get all the good clothes." Fat tears rolled down her cheeks."So I really think it's better...if we just don't."
Draco scooped up his daughter to his lap, where she started to sob in earnest. "Sweetheart, you're special for a lot of reasons. And there's nothing that could happen that would make me love you less. Nothing. It used just to be you, and I...Then we met Mummy and Rosie and I still loved you the same."
"This is different." The words were muffled by her burying her face in his shirt. "It won't be the same because it's different!"
"It is a bit, but...Granger…" Hermione was gripping the material of the couch, face contorted in pain. After a second, she let go and open her eyes, face flushed.
"That was real. I need to note the time." She cast a quick Tempus to materialize a clock face. "Evelyn, we love you very much, and nothing can ever change that, but if you want to live with your Aunt, that's fine. You'll just have to share their attention with your cousins instead. But Daddy and I will come to visit on holidays."
Evelyn wrinkled her nose, and the waterworks stopped. "I didn't think about that…"
"I didn't think so. But let's get you there now because I think your sister will be here very soon."
"It's too early." protested Draco.
"It's taken forever! It's about time!" From Evelyn. "I'll go get my things." She hopped off Draco's lap and ran up to her room.
"You got her to stop crying...just like that…"
Hermione propped her feet back on his lap. "I don't know why you're so surprised. I'm a very efficient person...handling emotional crises, dealing with multiple issues at work...ooff...having a baby…"
"It's not happening yet…"
"Oh, I promise you, it is. "
Draco shot her a look before Evelyn came running back. "We'll see when I get back."
"Hurry back, or she might get here before you do…"
Draco opened his mouth to say something but was caught off guard by the tapping of an elegant-looking white barn owl on the sunroom window. A bird he recognized as belonging to his mother.
Taking the letter, he opened it with shaking fingers. Today was already proving to be difficult, with emotions rising and falling like tides all around him. There was no time to deal with this now. The uneasiness hanging at the periphery of his mind hummed louder now as he read the words his mother had written on the paper.
Time stopped. The falling summer light froze in place. The sounds from his family calling for him in the sitting room were blocked out by a sudden roaring in his ears.
Draco?
Of course, it was her voice calling him back, as it had been so many times before. Memories flashed from the 27 years past, but still, her soothing voice floated through to him.
What's wrong?
"My father...he's in St. Mungos...mother says there isn't much time left."