July 2032
Rose Granger- Weasley never quite found a way to curb her insatiable appetite for Quidditch. Nothing else quite called to her as the sport did, the rush of flying or the sensation of being in a freefall towards total victory. Even if she were hurt in a way where she was unable to fly again, she would still want to sit in the stands and absorb as much of the adrenaline as she could. Dating and the possibility of settling down never appealed to her . Luckily, her parents nor step-parents never pushed the issue.
Normally, nothing could pull her away from the summer schedule, even after all the regional teams had finished and the international teams were closing in on the World Cup. Clear skies and lots of sunlight were the perfect time to get a solid practice in. Balmy nights were good for long runs and building endurance.
This year the Falcons hadn't even made the regional playoffs. Her Captain had been at it for years now, and his heart just wasn't in it anymore, leading to a lack of morale in the players. But their lineup was solid and she was certain she could lead them to victory when he handed over the reins to her.
She just had to get through this weekend first. A reunion of everyone under one roof was sure to test her sanity and resolve.
"Hey, Weasley!" the team's reserve Beater called to her from the ground. "There's some crazy lady outside the wards claiming to be your sister, but she doesn't look a thing like you! I told her to bugger off, and she just tried to hex me."
Rose laughed, landing easily on the grass and leaning her broom against the wall of the stands. "Then it probably is one of them."
It wouldn't be Cas; she wouldn't yell. It's not Lyra because she wouldn't leave work early.
A huge grin bloomed across her face. She sprinted through the tunnel and out past the stands. A witch, with straight auburn hair in a perfectly kept high ponytail, with a billowy periwinkle sundress, was systematically trying to dismantle the wards keeping her out.
"OI MALFOY!" Evelyn's dark blue eyes locked on her stepsister's pale blue ones. "What the fuck do you think you're doing here?!"
"WEASLEY! I did not take the portkey from hell and leave the dragons behind to stand out here and wait for you to finish playing Quidditch!" she shouted back, a smile stretching from ear to ear. Rose quickly altered the wards to let her step through, and they sprinted to each other.
"Easy, easy!" Evelyn yelled as she was twirled on the spot, halfway off the ground. "I'm still dizzy from the Portkey!" Rose set her down, still laughing. "I took one of the new ones straight here from Christchurch. Ugh, never again, I'll just time out the jumps next visit."
"I'm really sorry about your grandmother, Ev," Rose said, giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze. "The service was beautiful but I understand why you couldn't make it. Not like you can just leave a dozen Antipodean Opaleyes to their own devices for a few days."
Evelyn nodded as her smile turned sad. "She understands. Dad sent me a portrait, and I apologized as soon as I could. Told me not to be ridiculous, and I could make it up to her memory by not letting Dad sulk too long. Can you believe Witch Weekly wants to interview me while I'm here about being one of the few true sacred 28 left? " she scoffed. "As if I give a rat's arse. Are you done with practice?"
"Yeah! Come with me to meet the team, then we'll go back to mine! Where's Albus? Did he finally get eaten by a dragon?"
"No, he went straight to his parents from the Portkey office. He's staying the night there. Thought we could use the girl's time." she winked and nudged Rose with her hip. "I wanted to go to Cassie's with you in the morning, too."
The witches found themselves at a trendy little bistro near Rose's flat, catching up long after their entrees had been finished. Slowly picking at a piece of fudgy chocolate cake with two forks.
"You know what this needs?" Rose said, gesturing with her fork. "Celebratory wine."
"Oh." Evelyn dabbed at the corner of her mouth with her napkin. "Are we celebrating something besides the obvious?"
"This is my last season, just a Quidditch player. Next year -" she drummed on the table. "I'm taking over as Captain!"
Even though Evelyn hadn't been on a broom since the last day of flying class in her first year, she understood the magnitude of this. She gasped and clapped, congratulating her sister, all the while watching the wine glasses being brought to them. She lifted the glass by the stem. "To the new Falcons captain, may you...get more points than the other teams and win lots of big, shiny trophies."
Rose laughed and took a deep drink. Evelyn took a minuscule sip.
"Evie...it's Moscato…not Butterbeer snuck into the Slytherin dorms by someone's fun older sister."
"I still can't drink that stuff or remember that night. I think everyone in second year was scared away from drinking for life." Evelyn closed her eyes and touched her forehead. "Then mum sent those Howlers knowing we were hungover. Nightmare."
"Good times and...er slightly painful times. Either way, it's girls' night. Drink up!"
"I'm not feeling well…Portkey lag."
"Evelyn...I've known you my whole life… no, don't you fucking cry now..." Rose said, pointing accusingly as the other witch's lip began to tremble.
"I don't want to overshadow your good news or Scorp's graduation or Mum...finding the cure for mortality or whatever she's done now…"
"TELL. ME." Rose shouted, tapping her hand on the table with every syllable.
"It's still early, but I'm pregnant." Evelyn covered her hand with her mouth, and the tears flowed in earnest.
At first, Rose couldn't quite take in the scope of the news. This was…
She was…
Flushed and smiling but nervously twirling her wedding ring around her finger…
So fucking happy.
"That's amazing, Ev! I'm so happy for you! I'm going to be an Aunt! Wonder what Mum and Dad are going to say when they find out they're going to be grandparents?"
The Slytherin's face fell. "Oh no...I'm not telling Daddy."
"Come off it…"
She shook her head again. "No. I'm his little girl."
"You are thirty."
"I'll send pictures."
Rose rolled her eyes. "So you won't tell Mum then? It'll be better than her figuring it out."
"Oh, I'm sure she will. She can be at the birth, but only if she comes in secret and has a solid alibi to tell Dad. Forged documents and everything."
"I cannot wait to watch this unravel at the party on Saturday." Rose deadpanned, taking another drink.
Early the next morning, the witches caught an early portkey to the Shetland Islands in the northernmost reaches of Scotland. The island was inhabited by only witches and wizards working the unicorn reserve or the small coastal town.
Evelyn unwrapped a ginger candy and sucked on it before regaining her ability to properly speak. Rose took her arm to keep her steady and help shield each other from the wind tearing through the rocky island.
"Do you ever wonder...how our mum and dad had a kid like Cassie? I swear she should belong to Aunt Luna." Rose asked loudly over the wind.
"I think she's just...unique. And perhaps exists solely to drive mum crazy. But then there's Scorp whose clearly the favorite- "
" Clearly."
"Right. So it all evened out, I suppose. First time for everything, including a Hufflepuff Malfoy." Evelyn chuckled, interlocking arms with Rose to shield each other from the brutal gusting winds.
They turned past a sign marking the entrance to the unicorn reserve and strolled down a gravel lane, canopied by thick forest on either side that softened the harsh wind. Every once in a while, they spotted a flash of pearly white looking out at the strange visitors.
At the front of an ancient stone house, they could see a tall, lithe figure with wavy, waist-length platinum blonde hair.
"Oh my Circe, she looks like Dad in drag," Evelyn mumbled.
"That's what I said," Rose said in the same hushed tone. "But then you haven't seen Scorpius in a while. That's like…" she made a gesture for mind-blowing.
Cassiopeia waved brightly at her sisters, several beaded bracelets clicking together, before dashing up to wrap them in a hug.
"I missed you both so much." She pulled away and looked Evelyn up and down. "And hello to this little new soul!"
"How did you -"
She tapped her forehead and shrugged. "Is it a secret?"
"Yes." Evelyn groaned.
"From everyone or just Dad? Do you not want him to know that you and Albus have sexual intercourse?" A clap of thunder made the witches hurry into the house. "I can't wait to show you around."
"Our Portkey leaves for London at 5 Cas. We're going to find Lyra at work, and demand she come spend time with us before tomorrow."
The blonde witch gave them a stern look that reminded them forcefully of their mother. "I wouldn't have too much hope for that. Lyra prioritizes work over everything, even over us." She sniffed and put the kettle on. "All she wants out of this life is to beat Mum's record to Minister and then stay in power."
Rose rolled her eyes, giving Evelyn a knowing look. "Are you still upset because she said your N.E.W.T in Divination doesn't count?"
"She says that just so she can claim to have more than me!" She snapped, the kettle whistling behind her.
"Oh, look, princess is out now." Evelyn cajoled, opening a pack of biscuits on the scrubbed kitchen table. "These are for everyone, right?"
Cas waved a hand. "Dad donates more money than the next three people combined to keep this place going. More than Mum cares to know, make yourself at home." She pointed her wand at the cabinet, and three mugs and tea bags drifted down to the table. "Speaking of Dad, again, you are going to have to tell him ."
"Tell him what?" Evelyn deadpanned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Tell him I made Captain because that'll make him happy." Rose chimed in.
"And not want to kill my husband -"
"I think that's pretty much a permanent fixation at this point, but it certainly won't make it worse."
"Fine." Cassie huffed, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "But if he asks, I won't lie."
After an extensive tour of the grounds of the unicorn reserve, the three sisters caught their Portkey back to the Ministry in London.
Rose bundled her hair into a bun on top of her head, gathering her resolve. "So are we storming the Minister's office ?"
"I'm telling you we're better off not getting our hopes up." Cassie sighed.
"I did not Portkey from another hemisphere just to be ignored for some paperwork," Evelyn growled. "She is going to spend time with us and like it."
"Let's go pay a visit to the junior undersecretary to the Minister for Magic then."
They spotted Lyra, hovering a giant stack of books behind her, nose stuck in a Ministry memo file with bits of confetti stuck in her voluminous curls.
When she saw them, her grey eyes narrowed, and her mouth twisted into a frown. Though almost a perfect copy of their mother, at that moment, Lyra reminded them all she was indeed half Malfoy.
"I told you," whispered Cassie.
Rose jerked her head towards the middle sister again as the other three followed her. Lyra snapped the book shut and tried to make a retreat into another room when Evelyn caught her with a tripping jinx.
"Ow! That was unnecessary! I'm going to be at dinner when I'm through with work. Just leave me be until then!" Lyra said, getting to her feet.
"That's a lie, and you know it. If you don't leave now, you'll stay all night!"
"I had to go do a birthday thing in a conference room with cake and…" she picked out another piece of confetti and flicked it away. "Waste of time. I'm going to have to stay."
"Is there anything we can do to make your work go faster?" Cassie inquired, looking at the things on the desk she had just tried to leave behind.
Lyra snorted. "No, that's why I'm here and not chasing unicorns around the woods like an idiot."
"Hey! Don't talk to her like that!" Rose interjected. "Just because we didn't want to be Ministry drones like you doesn't make it any less valid."
Lyra's lip curled, ready to retort when the door opened, and a few wizards filed out. Her features softened, and her eyes followed one of them out.
"Hi, Arjun."
A handsome wizard with flawless bronze skin looked her way and gave a little wave. "Evening Lyra. Should be an easy weekend with the Minister abroad, right? Stop by my desk if you get a minute?" she nodded mutely, and he gave a friendly nod to each of her sisters as he followed his colleagues.
Only once the lift took them away did Lyra manage to make eye contact with the others." Old friend. He was a year ahead, in Ravenclaw too."
Cassie nodded. "Arjun Patil. He was Head Boy."
"And works for finance judging by the robes. That should impress Dad." Evelyn chimed in.
Lyra's eyes darted from her sisters to the lift, to her desk. "I will leave right now if no one brings this up."
"Secret secrets aren't much fun. Secret secrets hurt someone." The Hufflepuff muttered under her breath.
"Let's get out of here and give Mum a call before we go over." Rose shuddered. "I'm glad they're still in love, but I've finally successfully repressed all the intimate moments I've interrupted with tequila. Not interested in starting over."
Chapter 38: Homecoming
Summary:
All the kids come home to Malfoy Manor. Scorpius has an announcement of his own.
Notes:
Y'all know the drill, thank you for the love, TalonWillow is the best blah blah...
Now on to the crazy kids!
Chapter Text
Crowded around the Floo, the sisters looked to one another in silence.
"Why is everyone so...tense?" Cassie asked, waving a hand around as if to cleanse the air.
"I think we've all got something big to say," Lyra said, eyeing each of the witches in turn. "But we're all afraid to say it."
An ominous stillness only answered her back.
"Great. Well, let's get this over with." She pinched a bit of Floo powder from the old pot on the mantle and called out, "Malfoy Manor!"
The others followed after, standing somewhat awkwardly in the opulent receiving room of the manor. All the portraits had been removed from the first floor of the house. And the windows were letting in the last vestiges of daylight as a summer storm rolled in for the evening.
The squeak of a distant door opening and closing and the clacking of flats on marble reached them as Hermione Granger-Malfoy came bustling from another wing, reading glasses perched on her head and an overjoyed expression on her face.
"My babies are home!" She squealed, squeezing each one in turn in a bone-crushing hug. "I knew you were coming... I just got sucked into another chapter—How was the trip, Evi? Good? I hope that direct Portkey wasn't too much? Are you hungry? Thank you, Cas, but my aura is fine. But if you want to have another go at cleansing the east wing go for it."
"Where's dad?"
Hermione let out a resigned huff. "Your father had the kitchens renovated and converted one of the storerooms to his brewing room, and now he never surfaces from there." She led them down a short flight of stairs to the basement kitchen and stores. "You know he can't sit still. Redid the wards again, laid out new plans for the grounds to be more sustainable with Neville, talked about clearing a space for a small Quidditch pitch, and I said, "for who?" and he said, "people" I said, you hate people... Draco! We have enough food, leave it alone and come see the girls!"
Draco emerged from a pantry with arms full of boxes and jars, glasses slightly smudged and fixed on the end of his nose. He sent the ingredients floating to the counters as he approached his daughters, greeting each one in turn. Finally, he did a double-take on Evelyn.
"What's wrong?" She asked nervous her secret was obvious.
"Nothing. I'll tell you later." He whispered and turned to his wife, who was still rambling and said at full volume. "I'm just preparing for tomorrow and having a teenager in the house again. Merlin knows Scorpius is going to want a five-course meal when we get him from the station. Eats like he's starved."
Hermione sniffed. "He's a growing boy."
Draco rolled his eyes. "He's almost 18 and a fully qualified wizard now."
"Not with only four N.E.W.T's he's not! I don't know WHAT got into him making him drop all those classes last minute." Hermione started on a tirade that Draco mimicked with perfect timing behind her back, including putting a fist on his hip and a hair flip over the shoulder. The oven timer chimed, and he shooed the ranting witch aside to pull out a baking tray. The sisters tried not to laugh as they spread out around the now very spacious kitchen.
"Try these and tell me what you think, honestly," he said, piling spinach puffs onto a plate and sliding them across the kitchen island. "It's only a second go. I might need to tweak the recipe again." He unceremoniously popped one into Hermione's mouth as she gave him a scowl. "Scorpius will be fine. He's grown, and I'm sure he'll explain his reasoning tonight."
She glowered but ate the pastry anyway. "These are good, and it's the third time you made them."
"I couldn't eat the second batch. They were burnt by the time I got to them."
"Oh yes, I remember now." Hermione winked at her husband as he chuckled lightly. "We didn't hear the timer go off."
"Ugh, there goes my appetite," Rose complained.
"Every surface in this house is tainted," whispered Lyra.
"How much longer until dinner?" Evelyn asked, desperate to change the subject.
"It's under a stasis charm in the main dining room. I was just going to make a quick third dessert option -" Draco said, hand hovering towards another box.
"No!" Hermione swatted his hand away."We're waiting for Scorpius. He's bringing a friend that he really wants us to meet. They are going to apparate from the station."
"Are you having the party here tomorrow?" Evelyn inquired, directing the conversation to safe territory.
"No, we'll be at the old house so Gran and Grandad can be there. They flew in from Australia just to see you all. On a Bingo tournament weekend no less, and you know how Gran hates to lose -"
"Wonder if she passed that down," Draco muttered under his breath sarcastically.
"Hush. Besides, the east wing just hasn't been the same since your grandmother died, and we can't figure out what's wrong with it."
"I could just ward it off for good..."Draco grumbled again
"Don't start with the girls here! I'm not living in this house and ignoring a quarter of it being actively cursed."
"I thought the move was just temporary, and now with us all gone…" Rose said, emerging from the pantry with a bag of crisps.
Draco pulled a bottle of wine off a rack and examined it. "We had every intention to move back, but...
"Your mother needed us…" Hermione supplied.
"Yeah. Now you want that international Floo connection, and the old house just wouldn't support it." He uncorked the bottle with his wand, sniffed it, decided it was good enough, and summoned several wine glasses.
"Excuse me, what?" Lyra choked with a mouth full of apple taken from the storeroom. "Why?"
Hermione beamed. "I was recently offered another position to spearhead a new campaign for WICCA. I'm still working on muggle-born inclusion processes globally, but next year I'm starting a support system group for pregnant magicals. A few of them will be in the states."
"That's amazing, mum!" Cassie exclaimed.
Lyra stood abruptly. "So you just don't care, do you? I spend every day trying to get out of your shadow—both of your shadows…" she glared at her father. "But no matter where I go, they know the daughter of great golden girl or what the fuck it is." She raked her hair back from her face. "I'm transferring to MACUSA. Next year. I put in for a transfer because I had hoped there I could make a name for myself. Guess not." She stormed out of the room, her mother following after shouting for her.
Draco tried to pick up the flow of conversation again. "How are the dragons, Ev?"
Evelyn swirled her wine morosely, not drinking it."Oh, you know...huge...scaley...fire breathing...we have a clutch of eggs on a cliffside too, but it's too early to tell how many are viable."
"That's good. And where's that husband of yours?" He asked with the same slightly condescending tone he always had when he acknowledged his son-in-law.
Evelyn's lip trembled before she too bolted from the room.
"For fucks sake." Draco knocked back his wine and followed her from the room.
Hermione found Lyra in her favorite corner of the library, curled in the worn leather chair, head in hand.
"Lyra…can we talk?"
The younger witch started to say something scathing in return but stopped at the look of genuine concern on her mother's face. She was waiting for permission to approach her, untangling the reading glasses from her hair.
"About what, mum? I said everything I have to say."
Hermione summoned a similar chair from another corner and sat it down next to her middle daughter. "I never asked for it. The notoriety. It just kind of came with being friends with Harry. Then with the war...all I wanted was to survive, and I wasn't going to without a fight...and then I did. I never, ever thought that the repercussions of just surviving were going to look like this." She let out a heavy breath and squeezed her daughter's hand affectionately. "But you are so much like me, and I can understand why you're frustrated; I would be too."
Lyra dropped her head on her mother's shoulder. "I didn't really want to go to MACUSA anyway."
"Then don't."
"I want to stay at the Ministry."
"Then you should. There is nothing wrong with working at the Ministry."
Lyra chewed on her lip for a second. "There's this guy...he works in finance…"
Hermione chuckled and pulled her daughter in for a side hug. "There's nothing wrong with that either. Stay for any reason you want to stay, or go to MACUSA if you think it'll be good for you. I never wanted to make your life harder."
"I know, Mum."
The wards around the house shifted as someone came through the Floo.
"Finally, your brother is home. Let's go see him."
Evelyn finally stopped at the gate of the Malfoy Mausoleum, gripping the gold-plated bar for support as she tried to catch her breath. Her father's footsteps rusting the grass reached her ears only seconds later.
"What did he do?" Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "If he hurt you -"
"No, dad, Albus would never hurt me. And you had better get used to it because he's in our lives for good now."
The blond wizard blinked deep in thought for a moment, opening the gate in a wave of wandless magic, letting Evelyn go all the way inside. "Tell me what that means, Evelyn. You're a grown witch, don't beat around the truth."
Her voice cracked as she reached her grandmother's name, and touched the engravement. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there, I just couldn't get any way to take my place and it was migration season…" she waved it off with a shuddering breath. "I miss her already."
"I do too. But please tell me what's wrong."
She twisted her fingers together in a very Hermione - like movement. "I'm pregnant."
"I know. I just wish you weren't afraid to tell me."
"How did you-"
Draco guided her chin up with his finger to look him in the eye. "Your mum was really sick in her early days too, and I can tell you haven't been out as much. You look exactly like she did, tired but excited. A lot has faded over the years, but I remember the day we found out so clearly. Congratulations, Evie."
"Thank you," Evelyn said, wiping away more tears. Then the clouds broke open and rain began to pour. Draco used a shield charm from his wand as an umbrella, and they worked their way back to the Manor.
"You know...I think it's a boy already…" she mused.
"Since you're actually properly marriage bonded, probably."
Evelyn nearly tripped. "Wait...what? What are you implying?"
"Nothing, except that your mother and I didn't spend the night before the wedding apart, despite your grandmother warding her room." he shrugged.
"Dad..."
"Didn't stop her from coming into my room, though."
"What about Mum? You two had daughters."
"Yeah, I really don't know what happened there. It's really an anomaly to the pattern. Suppose it's the muggle-born thing; family magic thought she was just a really dedicated mistress or something. I should bring that up to her just to see her reaction..."
" Daddy. "
"Hurry along now, your brother is home, and we have to get to him before mum does."
The last time Evelyn had seen her youngest sibling, he had been an awkward, gangly fourteen-year-old whose voice still cracked when upset. Now a grown man stood in at the Floo, Slytherin tie undone around his neck, still in his school shirt, arms folded across his chest.
Rose was right; he was a perfect copy of their father from afar if only an inch taller. But up closer, she knew he had his mother's nose with a few freckles splattered across the bridge and Evelyn's same dark cobalt eye color, the last vestiges of their shared Black family genes.
Unfortunately, he also inherited that family's lack of impulse control and penchant for troublemaking.
Hermione brought him down to her level in a positively bone-crushing hug. "All my children are home. Where's your friend? What took you so long? How did you do on your N.E.W.T's?"
" MumIcan'tbreathe " He puffed out, his cheeks still being squished. Draco pulled her hands away. "I told him to wait to come through."
"Why? Scorpius, did you get kicked off the Express again? You really couldn't make it through one more train ride-"
"No, Dad! Good to see you too.I just… I needed space because I knew all of you would be waiting for …" the words died on his lips as he motioned helplessly around at them all. "I thought you would be out…I don't know…"
Cassie spoke up from the back. "You should just tell them." He flipped her off, and Draco swatted his hand down, giving him a sharp look.
He turned to Cassie with the same look. "Thoughts are private."
Hermione's eyes found her youngest daughter and then darted back to her son. "Tell me what?"
Scorpius rubbed the back of his neck and fixed his gaze on the floor. "I'm gay. And I know I'm the one who's supposed to carry on the name and the bloodlines and- "
"Scorp." Draco interrupted. "I don't know if you've noticed this, but those things have never been a priority for this family." He pulled Hermione in closer, rubbing her arm affectionately. "It hasn't mattered for a long, long time. We just want you to be happy."
Swallowing hard, Scorpius blinked quickly and nodded. "Okay. You can let go of mum now."
Draco chuckled and moved his arm and let Hermione rush forwards again. "I love you unconditionally, and accept you for who you are and I'm so proud of you for having the courage to be your true self." Hermione was crushing her son again, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Stop suffocating the boy, Granger."
"I'm just so happy -"
"Wow. Didn't even get half of that when I came out," Cassie muttered. "Wait, wait...no mum….I didn't mean -" Hermione had rounded on her and pulled her into the same hug, mumbling the same phrases.
Now free from his mother's grasp, Scorpius greeted the rest of his sisters.
"Rosie! I heard about Captain at school! Is it true? Free box seats for brothers, right?"
"Yeah, but the box only has so many seats, between Weasleys and Malfoys, you might have to fight for it."
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Draco yelled. "For fucks sake, Weasley, lead with that next time. Best news I've heard all night."
Evelyn made a disgruntled noise but just got a wink from her father in return.
This went completely unnoticed by Hermione as she rounded on Scorpius again. "Well, what about your friend? Bring him through!"
Scorpius activated the grate again and came through holding hands with an even taller, dark-haired boy in a Slytherin Quidditch jersey.
"This is Michael Flint, my boyfriend. Michael, this is my family… my parents, you've heard of them. My sisters: Rose, Evelyn, Lyra, and Cassiopeia." he pointed to each one in turn. "If you need someone's attention, just...shout out a constellation, someone will turn around."
Hermione bustled forward and took Michael's hand. "You can call me Hermione. She/her. I'm just so happy my son is happy."
"Flint?" asked Draco, slightly put out.
Hermione turned on her heel. "Draco Malfoy, I swear to Merlin if you judge someone by their last name, I will- "
And the house exploded into a cacophony of noise again.
Scorpius nudged his boyfriend. "I told you they were like this."
Chapter 39: Scorpius
Summary:
Scorpius gets a chance to show his family what he can do...
Chapter Text
Rain poured down the glass panes of the greenhouse in sheets. Hermione examined her row of Dittany plants to see which ones were ready to be pruned.Or whether any would be of good enough quality to be dried and then made into Essence of Dittany . This potion lived affixed in her memory of saving many important lives so quickly.
They had been growing, along with several other medicinal plants, since Scorpius announced his intended career. She recognized his brand of stubbornness as her own, and the harder she pushed, the more likely he was to do it, just to spite her.
Didn't mean she wasn't going to try to talk him out of it.
The slamming of the glass door startled her away from her thoughts. Draco was drying his shoes from having come through the muddy grounds.
"I thought you'd be with Cassie in the east wing."
"We gave up for the night." He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Fair enough." She dragged the potted plant a little closer. "Do you think this one is ready?"
Draco reached into her bra and pulled out the pair of glasses stashed there as she scoffed at him. "I can see it just fine; I was just being courteous asking for your opinion."
"Put on your glasses, Gran, and you won't need to ask."
"Oh, don't call me that! If I look old, it's because of a lifetime spent with you." She grabbed a small pair of pruning shears and carefully clipped at the Dittany, trying to concentrate.
"You're doing that wrong." he hummed.
"I am not. Go find someone else to bother."
"Here, Granny Granger, like this." He tried to correct the angle of the shears with his hands over hers, but she refused to change it. "If you cut it like that, it won't grow back right."
"You won't grow back right if you don't stop." She threatened. "Don't you have another part of the grounds to tear apart?"
He whispered something in her ear that made her blush furiously. "Not in the greenhouse! The kids are home; they'll see us."
"Then you have ten minutes…" he purred, unwrapping his arms from around her.
She looked over glasses, and he moved back to the greenhouse door. "I only need five if you would just go." She made a shoo-ing motion with her hand.
Thunder shook the huge windows in their frames as Rose watched the grounds get ravaged by the storms in the flashes of lighting. She had never quite adjusted to this house, but in all fairness, she hadn't stayed more than a few weeks at a time, splitting the short summers between her mother and father.
And now, with the thunder and lightning cracking every few moments, echoing in the cavernous room, it was impossible to sleep.
The door creaked open, and Evelyn poked her head into the room. "Knew you'd be awake. I can't sleep without Albus snoring anymore."
Rose patted the bed next to her, and Evelyn stepped all the way in to join her.
"Are you excited to be a mum, Ev?"
"Very. And nervous."
"Don't be. You were a natural with the constellation kids; you'll do great.'
"Speaking of -"
The sound of jogging feet reached the room, and Lyra wrenched open the door.
"I was in the library, and I saw something moving outside and realized it was mum and dad in the greenhouse -'' Lyra panted. "And then I guess… they forgot privacy charms…" she closed her eyes. "I couldn't see anything clearly, but it really looked like...ugh, just distract me, please!"
"I'm pregnant," Evelyn said simply, shrugging one shoulder.
Lyra's eyes flew open. "You're joking. That's amazing Evi, congratulations! Does dad know? And Al is still alive?"
Evelyn laughed. "For now."
"Wow." Lyra examined an antique fainting couch next to the bed, expanded it with her wand, and made herself comfortable. "Just when I thought this family couldn't get any more chaotic."
Another knock and Cassie's voice came through. "I want to talk too. I tried to cleanse the east wing again. A doorknob bit me and called me names."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, come on. It's a slumber party."
The blonde came in, a duvet draped over her head and shrunken bed under her arm, topped with a ratty stuffed unicorn. She set it down in the empty space and resized it, then settled on it blinking owlishly at her sisters.
"Something is wrong with you," Lyra muttered.
"Grandfather's portrait was still awake." She made a face. "He hates me and Scorp more because we look like Malfoys. I didn't want to deal with him."
"Then cast a disillusionment charm."
"I don't like the way it feeeells."
"Don't bicker," Rose implored. "This might be the last time we're all under the same roof for a long time. So let's enjoy it."
It was quiet for a moment before Evelyn asked. "What is wrong with the east wing?"
"When Grandmother died, the whole thing went dark, and you can't even light a Lumos in there. All the portraits in the corridor are silenced because they just scream." Cassie said, shuddering. "It's really disorienting to go in there, but dad says if you try to disarm it from the outside, it just grows. But trying to find the source of it is proving to be more trouble than we thought."
"It's probably an artifact," suggested Lyra.
"Probably. Dad says it was probably protected by our grandparent's magic or something older and just ...ran out." Cassie frowned and wrapped the covers tighter around her. "They should probably call in a professional."
"That would have to mean they would both have to admit they were wrong," muttered Rose.
"Bye house, I'll miss you." Whispered Evelyn while her sisters laughed.
In the early morning hours, father and son stood staring down a dark corridor, unchanged by any of the rays of light breaking through the manor's huge windows.
"I got the N.E.W.T for DADA, Runes, Charms, and Transfiguration. I know I did; just let me try it." Scorpius pleaded.
Draco hesitated visibly. He, of all people, was the biggest advocate for letting his now-grown children lead the lives they wanted to live. But curse-breaking was so incredibly dangerous; not to mention, if Scorpius got so much as a nose bleed, Hermione would kill him.
"Okay. But look at me." Scorpius turned on the spot rolling his eyes but looked at his father all the same. "If things start to go wrong, let me handle it."
"Fine."
"You should know something else...Flint-"
"Marcus is his uncle, and he was in on the conspiracy against mum. I know. He's been in Azkaban Michael's whole life because of it." The younger wizard shifted uncomfortably. "We met because we were both kind of outcasts, you know."
"He's not the reason why you dropped all those classes, is he?"
"No. I just…"Scorpius turned his eyes to the floor. "I knew I wouldn't do as well as the girls, so I just wanted to focus on the things I actually liked. It wasn't until after exams that we decided that we wanted to be together outside of school."
His father nodded. "Okay. But you're too young to get married."
"I really hope this thing consumes me, so we don't have to talk about this ever again," Scorp muttered, shifting his whole body to focus on what he was about to do.
"Dramatic, just like your mother." But Draco remained quiet as he watched his son work. He pulled thread after thread of red runes, hissing and glowing threateningly and banishing them. Sweat beaded along his hairline, but he didn't complain.
The darkness grew, creeping like vines on the walls and windows.
"Stop!" Draco yelled, grabbing his son's arm.
"No, it is just fighting back, but its source is weak. It will exhaust and implode. Just trust me!"
The portraits began to shriek, filling the house with a terrifying nose coupled with the sounds of everyone running down halls, calling to one another.
Draco tried to disarm Scorpius. teen easily deflected him and began pulling out threads of the curse faster, canceling and dismantling spells with a speed and proficiency that reminded him of another person whose magic he knew...
And she was currently jogging towards them, wand out and ready, demanding that Scorpius get out of the way.
Draco laid a hand gently on her wand arm, guiding it down.
There was a sharp cracking sound as if the house was being split apart, and the darkness started to recede, smaller and smaller…
It was gone. Lights flickered on, illuminating the corridor. The portraits stirred in their frames and started to chatter in normal speaking voices.
Scorpius let out a sigh, flicking away the last bit of red runes, before turning back to his parents. "I told you I could do this. I have an interview with Gringotts and a few independent Master curse breakers who are taking on apprentices."
"It's so dangerous, though," his mother whispered. "And people are so cruel...you have no idea."
"Hermione…" Draco's voice was hardly louder than hers. "We said we would let them be who they want to be...and look how far it's gotten them."
Rose and Cassie had ventured into the formerly cursed space, and their voices sounded from inside Lucius's formal study.
"Found it! Stay out there, especially you, Ev!" Rose said clearly. "We'll bring out the pieces."
"Why especially …" Hermione gasped and brought her hands to her face. "No!"
Evelyn nodded. "I'm pregnant. I told dad...I thought he would tell you."
Granger rounded on her husband. "All he did was keep calling me Granny!" she smacked his arm. "You are insufferable, I swear to Circe, why do I put up with you? Don't answer that!" Draco had opened his mouth to say something. "That was rhetorical. I'll deal with you later." instead She went to Evelyn and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Congratulations, sweetheart. You and Albus are going to be wonderful parents. I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks, mum." Evelyn sniffed.
Rose and Cassie emerged back into the sitting room, hovering tattered bits of fabric out in a bundle and displaying them like a puzzle.
"It was the family tapestry," Cassie explained. "I guess it wasn't designed to keep expanding."
Draco helped sort the pieces. "Maybe it thought mum would name a new heir...or maybe she just took the last of father's magic with her."
"So it was just going to wipe us all out instead. Typical." Hermione huffed, walking around the displayed pieces and huffed in annoyance. "Who wants breakfast?"
A new male voice spoke up from the threshold of the sitting room, staring at them all wide-eyed and shocked.
"So that's it then? The house just tried to...curse you, and you all are just going to pretend nothing happened. This family is fucking mental, Scorpius." Michael had been standing by the edge of the sitting room, watching the chaos unfold.
Draco had drawn himself up to full height, ready to attack when Scorpius cut across him. "Yeah, they're all barking mad. If you don't like it, there's the exit." He pointed to the Floo they had come in the previous evening.
Flint stopped, slack-jawed for a moment, and marched off towards the Floo and activated it. Then, with one last look around at them all, he sighed, looking towards his former boyfriend. "Come with me. We can have a nice normal family."
"No thanks," he muttered.
"You can go now," called Evelyn, pointing towards the Floo. "Get out of my house, go on."
Lyra flipped him off, and Cassie shoved the ornate canister of Floo powder in his hands.
He took it and threw a pinch in the flames looking at them all one last time.
"Bye, Arsehole!" Rose yelled.
Michael vanished in the flames. Cassie hugged her brother and muttered. "Not worth it. Plenty of others out there."
"Right, well, I need food! Come on, you lot, let's mess up the nice new kitchens." Rose called as her siblings cheered and filed out of the room.
When they were gone, Hermione turned to Draco, still examining the pieces of the tapestry strewn around the sitting room floor.
"I like ours better." She whispered, sliding her hand in his and leaning on his shoulders.
"Yeah, we did it right." He tilted her chin up to kiss her soundly.
Chapter 40: For the dancing and the dreaming
Summary:
Hermione leaned her back to Draco's chest to watch them for a minute. She was overly warm but pleasantly buzzed on expensive champagne and happiness at watching her thriving family. But the familiar body behind her was tense at the noise and flashing lights, so she turned and kissed him on the cheek.
Some scars never quite faded.
"Let's go inside, love." She led him by the hand up the garden path, through the house that was set up to accommodate her muggle parents and a few guests who found themselves too drunk to get home. Every step through the layout was familiar, recalling memories of raising a family within these walls.
Notes:
And here we are, the last installment of this saga.
First I want to say to TalonWillow, my alphabetaenabler, cheerleader, and guardian Slytherin- A BIG BIG THANK YOU. Your words of encouragement mean more than I can express.
To my readers, commentators and kudos leavers a big thank you to you too. I appreciate every interaction, truly. If you would like you can find me on Tumblr and DIscord with this user name, or on Facebook as E.s Pyff
And don't worry, this isn't good bye I'm sure this family will be popping up in shorter form for a long while to come.
(photo manip by TalonWillow)
Chapter Text
The graduation celebration was winding to a close, but a few parties were still left out on the dance floor in the garden. Harry and Ginny revolved in a slow, swaying motion. Albus and Evelyn danced forehead to forehead, eyes closed, enjoying their shared joy. Rose had rounded up enough cousins and siblings for a pick-up Quidditch game on the old pitch. It consisted of mostly tipsy adults too busy laughing to take it seriously.
Fireworks popped off in this distance, illuminating the world even brighter, causing the youngest amongst them to squeal and scream happily.
Hermione leaned her back to Draco's chest to watch them for a minute. She was overly warm but pleasantly buzzed on expensive champagne and happiness at watching her thriving family. But the familiar body behind her was tense at the noise and flashing lights, so she turned and kissed him on the cheek.
Some scars never quite faded.
"Let's go inside, love." She led him by the hand up the garden path, through the house that was set up to accommodate her muggle parents and a few guests who found themselves too drunk to get home. Every step through the layout was familiar, recalling memories of raising a family within these walls.
She led them up to their old bedroom, the space that held so many sacred moments for them. It seemed to hum with its own magic. The tension seeped from Draco as he kicked off his shoes and laid down on the already made-up bed, beckoning his wife to his side.
Before she curled up next to him, she checked that both of their wands were secure on the nightstand, within easy reach. A habit that would never quite die with the passing years. When all was safe, she curled up next to him, letting her walls down.
"They're all grown up now, love. So, what's next?" She took his fingers in hers and studied their hands.
"We get to be grandparents," he murmured, eyes closed, enjoying the feel of her next to him. "And we get to just enjoy being us, for once."
"What if I'm not ready? What if I want another one?" Hermione whispered, closing her hand tight around his. Draco's eyes flew open as he shifted to look his wife full in the face.
"I'm kidding!"
"Don't joke like that! Merlin, I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" he laughed, kissing the crown of her head.
"It was right about here you told me you wanted one more all those years ago, and I thought I would have a heart attack then too." she chuckled. "I didn't know what to think...but then it just...felt right."
"It's always been that way with you," he confessed quietly, bringing her in closer again, burying his nose in her curls. "It's always felt right."
Hermione guided his lips to hers, kissing him deeply, pouring all the emotion she couldn't speak into him. "I'd do it all again. I love you. Always."
"Always."