Hey Everyone! There will be an Epilogue posted very soon! I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and will read the ending when I post it!
October 13, 2009
When the world around them stilled, Draco took the Time-Turner chain from around Hermione's neck and tucked it down into his shirt. The fallen leaves on the ground crunched and crackled under the weight of their feet.
He looked toward the house and licked his lips nervously, "Do you think it worked?" he asked his wife quietly while feeling the soft autumn breeze move through the alcove, causing more leaves to fall from the trees around them.
Hermione swallowed, looking in the same direction, "I hope so."
Draco nodded and pulled out his wand from its holster, removing their disguises before holstering it once again.
The brunette turned toward and reached up, cupping his jaw, "As I said before, whatever happens, I love you, Draco."
He nodded, looking into her warm honey-brown eyes, and leaned down, kissing her lips with gentle intensity. As he pulled back, he whispered, "I love you too."
The couple made their way down to the Malfoy House and stepped through the front entrance, finding Blaise and a pregnant Ginny sitting on one of the sofas, quietly talking.
Blaise jumped up with a grin on his face when he saw them. "It worked!"
"How do you…" Draco began, wondering how Blaise could possibly know what had happened if he hadn't been with them through the time traveling journey.
"Look in the book, on page 57." Blaise cut in, smirking knowingly at his friends.
Hermione pulled the book out and flipped it open to the mentioned page which was titled, 'How Non-Travelers can Remember Multiple Times'. The page had a detailed potion as well as a comprehensive spell, either of which the non-traveler could use to remember all the information from the time the travelers departed from and the one they returned to.
Hermione looked at Draco before they both fully realized what Blaise had said when they had entered the house.
"Wait!" Draco said, "It worked?" He asked with desperate hope in his slate-grey eyes.
Blaise chuckled and nodded, "Yeah. Scorp is up in his room, sound asleep. He's healthy as can be. You two…you did it." He grinned at them proudly.
Ginny smiled, "And Lyra is in her room, also sound asleep and healthy as can be."
Hermione let out a relieved sob, squeezing Draco's hand, which caused their friends to feel a bit of concern. The two of them sat down across from the Zabinis and gave them all the details of their travels, shocking the other couple. Neither Blaise nor Ginny could believe how much they had gone through.
"Bloody fuck, you two." Blaise muttered, "I'm so sorry." He said, shaking his head.
Ginny nodded, "Are you okay? Is there anything that we can do for you? Anything at all?"
Draco looked over at his physically and emotionally drained wife before shaking his head, turning back to their friends. "No. You two have already done so much for us." He said in a grateful tone. "We just need some rest. It's been a long…well, we're tired." He replied, unsure of how to describe the amount of time they had been traveling.
Ginny nodded, "I'm sure you will want to be alone with the kids tomorrow." She smiled, "But we'd love to spend time with all four of you soon."
"Of course. We'll all get together in a day or two." Hermione smiled tiredly. "Thank you both, for everything. Truly."
Draco sighed as he took the Time-Turner from under his shirt. He set it on the table, "Yes. Thank you. I think it'd be best to keep this thing hidden away though. I'm beyond grateful you had it, but it's a dangerous apparatus."
Blaise nodded, "Believe me. It hasn't been used in a terribly long time. You two and your children are simply too important to us. We couldn't just stand by. We had to do something."
Draco nodded as his wife handed over the book, "That means more than you know, mate." He said quietly as Hermione nodded.
They all stood up and hugged each other before the Zabinis left via floo, taking the Time-Turner and the book with them.
Draco and Hermione went upstairs and quietly opened the door to Scorpius's bedroom, finding him sleeping in his bed. Hermione bit her bottom lip and leaned back against Draco's chest with a quiet exhale.
He smiled, feeling immense relief at the sight of his healthy son sleeping safely in his own bed rather than in a hospital bed. Draco wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close as they both took in the sight for a moment before silently closing the door and moving over to Lyra's bedroom.
The one-year-old girl was sleeping in her crib and her parents both exhaled in relief. Seeing her back in the world made Hermione feel so many overwhelming emotions that she turned around and buried her face in Draco's chest.
He hugged her tightly against him, feeling the same emotions filling his chest. He quietly shut the bedroom door and together they walked down the hallway to their master bedroom.
As the couple got ready for bed, Hermione looked over and saw her husband looking into a small wooden box.
"What's that?" She asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Draco licked his lips, "Well…" He swallowed. "I suddenly recalled that Astoria had written these letters and left them in a box for Scorpius." He said before looking over at Hermione.
"For significant occasions?" she asked.
He nodded, "And erm…there's…there's one in here…for you."
"What?" she asked in shock, standing up and walking over to him.
He nodded, "It says, 'To Hermione Malfoy'. It was hidden in the bottom. I had never seen it until today." He said, holding out the letter to her.
She swallowed nervously and took the letter from him, before walking back over to the bed. She sat down and took a deep, steadying breath before opening the envelope.
Hermione,
I waited until Scorpius was a year old before finally making the decision to write this. It's not an easy letter to write, but there are some things on my mind and you're the one that I need to say them to.
Seeing you with Draco had been more difficult than I had let on, but I knew I had to do the right thing and take the potion on Valentine's Day, for both Scorpius's and Lyra's sake. You took care of and continue to care for my son. I needed to step up and care for your daughter.
Draco loves you dearly; I could see that even from the few moments I spent with the two of you.
Being a mother is incredible. I know that you understand what I mean. Knowing that I'm going to miss out on most of Scorpius's life is devasting. However, I am grateful to know that you will be there.
Here are a few things I ask of you:
Please remind Draco that he is nothing like Lucius, because, despite everything, his biggest fear is that he'll be that sort of father. I think we both know that's impossible. He's simply too good of a man.
Please remind Scorpius how much his Mummy loves him despite me not physically being there. I know that you don't intend to 'take my place' in his life, and I appreciate that more than you know. But I also appreciate that you love Scorpius like he's your own. I know you feel that way, because you traveled through time to ensure that he lived, and I thank you for that.
Please remember that you are the love of Draco's life and while I may have been his first wife, you will be his forever.
Please remember that while I respect you and am beyond grateful for your presence in their lives, I am also utterly envious that you get to see Scorpius go to Hogwarts, gradate from there, fall in love, get married, have children and so many more momentous occasions that I will never see or be there for.
I find myself longing to time travel and take the potion earlier but then I remember Lyra. I think about her a lot. I think about how much she undoubtedly means to Scorpius, Draco, and you. I'm sure she's beautiful and she'll have a bright future.
Never take the time you have with either of them, or any other children you two may have, for granted. Time moves by too quickly.
Thank you for taking care of our boys.
Sincerely,
Astoria
Hermione sniffed and refolded the letter, slipping it back into the pale pink envelope.
"Is everything all right?" Draco asked his wife, feeling concerned.
She nodded, "It is." She replied with a small, sad smile, "She just…" the brunette shook her head, "It's difficult to explain."
"It's okay…so long as you are all right." He said, reaching over and laying his hand on her leg.
She nodded and met his eyes, "I am. Our family is whole and safe. Let's get some rest."
He nodded and leaned over, kissing her lips softly before pulling back and saying, "Okay, Love."
They went to sleep that night, both immensely grateful for the sacrifice Astoria had made for their family and neither willing to ever let it be taken for granted. They were going to treasure every day, and every moment they had as a family, leaving time to its own devices.