Chapter 9: I Don't Want to go Without You

In the days following Lyra and Hermione's discussion, Lyra had noticed her mother's absence around their house, allowing for her to have time to really think. Think about what would have motivated her mother before she was born, what could have been happening in England that had been so horrible that she would have fled.

The truth was, when Lyra thought about how much she knew about her mother's past, it really wasn't a lot. She'd known that there had been a war in England over muggleborns and that her mother had fought in it as a child and then a few years later she'd decided to leave. That was really and truly the extent of what she'd been told.

However, despite her lack of knowledge on the subject, Scorpius had been a dutiful pen pal. Writing Lyra and telling her what he'd found out from his – their – father on the topic of her mother. Being who she was, Lyra wasn't taking his words for face value and had been compiling a list of follow up questions that she wanted to ask Draco when the time was right.

Such as, since he works as an Auror, why didn't he press charges against his father himself for threats against her mother's life? Why would he jump straight into signing a betrothal contract instead of stepping away for a moment to contact law enforcement or even her mum if they'd been together for so long and were so madly in love? If they'd been looking for her mother, how did they so easily miss that she was working for the French Ministry? (Though, she knew for security reasons her mother's office and others in the same field were kept fairly confidential with the employees not being public record, so that might have been part of the reason why they'd never found her there.)

Still scribbling away in her notebook, the letter from her brother out on her desk next to her, Lyra completely missed when her mother entered the room. It wasn't until a steaming cup of hot cocoa was set next to her, jarring her from her work.

"Can I help you?" Lyra asked, turning back to the list she was writing, still upset with her mother.

"We need to talk," Hermione said, causing Lyra to scoff. She could hear her mother let out a sigh, but otherwise, ignored Lyra's rudeness. "Draco and Theo are going to be going back to London. They've asked if you would like to join them for a few weeks before school starts back up."

"What?" Lyra dropped her pen in shock, her head shooting up to look at her mother again. "You mean, go with them, alone?"

"Well, I thought you might want to get to know your father and his family a bit. I've realised that it wasn't right to lie to you about who your father was. I do still feel it was in our best interests to leave England, but lying about Draco, that was wrong. I should have been honest with you when you started asking questions."

"You're not coming with me?" Lyra looked between her mum's eyes, seeing the regret and the pain in the dark brown eyes that she'd always loved and found comfort in.

"I didn't think you'd want me to," Hermione answered, fiddling with her hands clasped in front of her. "I thought you might like some space from me, and I can respect that need as you are fifteen now and growing into an adult."

"No," Lyra exclaimed, standing from her chair so quickly that it toppled over and clattering against the floor. Hermione's face morphed into a confused expression at the outburst, though said nothing, allowing Lyra to continue. "I don't want to go without you. What I mean is, I'd like to get to know them, but I want you to come with me."

The words tumbled out in a rush without Lyra fully thinking them over, though it was all true. Lyra, for as strong and independent as she was, still needed her mother. The thought of going to England and getting to know her father and his family was thrilling, yet terrifying. There was no way that she wanted to miss this opportunity, but she didn't want to stay in their home or anything like that.

As much as Lyra liked Scorpius, she didn't actually know him well enough to feel comfortable staying with him for two weeks or so. She didn't know anything about Draco or Theo aside from seeing them in passing after a fucking terrorist attack.

"Please," Lyra pleaded. She'd been putting the brunt of her anger on her mother, and she knew that there might be a chance that Hermione would deny her. Though the fear was minimal as that wouldn't be the woman who'd single handedly raised her all these years.

"Of course, I'll come," Hermione told her, reaching out and pulling Lyra into a hug. Breathing in her mother's honey and cinnamon scent, the nerves that had been warring inside Lyra for the last few days finally began to settle. Perhaps things would go smoother now.

ooo

"Why is little Potter with us again?" Theo asked, looking over towards James who was running his hands through his hair causing the red mess to be even more unruly.

"Because other Potter had a date with whatever the fuck his name was and Blaise, Luna, and Ginevra are still in Spain on holiday." His dad deadpanned, clearly not amused by his Auror partner's need to keep up with his flavour of the month lifestyle.

"He's fifteen, he can be left unattended for a few hours," Theo grumbled, but Scorpius only smirked to himself knowing that James would always be welcomed along with their family outings.

His dad looked around at the small group gathered in their receiving room in front of the fireplace. On the mantel were a collection of magical pictures basically outlining their lives. Ones from his dad and Theo's wedding when he was ten, his dads moving him into Eton for his first year, and a handful of other pivotal points in their lives that include James and his parents (all four of them), his grandmothers, and his aunts as well. It was all laid out for anyone who came into their home to see, and it excited Scorpius that soon he'd be able to add Lyra to the collection.

"Are we ready?" Theo asked, looking towards the two teens and then to his husband. His father was nervously adjusting his cufflinks and Theo looked as if he were going off for a picnic with a basket hanging from his forearm. Something that when questioned about he'd brushed off saying that it was no concern of theirs how he accessorised.

Without responding, his dad stepped forwards, tossing a handful of floo powder into the flames causing the fire to flare up emerald green. Taking hold of Scoprius, the two blondes stepped through first, instantly being transported to the hotel that Lyra and her mother were staying in.

Scorpius looked around the small hotel, wondering for a moment why it seemed so, well, not run down precisely. It just wasn't what he and his fathers typically stayed in.

"What is that smell?" Scorpius asked as they walked through the lobby, strangely filled with people sitting eating what appeared to be some sort of overly moist egg concoction.

"That is the smell of continental breakfast," Theo leaned over and whispered, his nose scrunched up in disgust as an elderly man tried to shove too much food in his mouth at once. "It's utterly disgusting."

"Why wouldn't they just eat their breakfast in their room after room service delivers it?" Scorpius asked, completely confused by this apparent collection of guests who were seated around various types of tables and lounge chairs to eat.

"You are obnoxiously rich," James muttered, coming up to the elevator and pressing the up arrow.

"What?" Scorpius asked, innocently looking at his fathers who were both chuckling slightly at the teens' interaction. Though as the door slid open, his dad's body tensed up again and it was only with the help of Theo's hand guiding him that got his dad inside.

Theo was the one who reached out to firmly press the button for the seventh floor and away they went. The smell of chlorine filled the small space, but it wasn't enough to distract Scorpius from the fact that they were on their way to see his sister.

His sister. What an odd concept to think of, he thought, smiling to himself.

There were a few stops along the way, picking up workers who were dressed in plain grey polo shirts and navy slacks with cleaning carts and then getting off at the following floor. They continued the ride up until finally the number seven lit up, indicating they'd reached their destination.

"It'll be fine, I promise," Scorpius could hear Theo whispering to his father, but he was too excited to wait for either of the adults. Bounding down the hall with James at his heels, Scorpius quickly found his way and followed the rooms until he was standing in front of the room number Lyra had given him.

Lifting his hand and knocking, Scorpius pounded on the door, to wound up to be able to contain himself even a little. When the door was thrown open, the grin on his face only grew.

Lyra was looking up at him, her silver eyes bright and excited with her white hair swept to the side in a braid that hung over her shoulder. She was wearing a pair of jean shorts and a tank top that showed off her midriff and a pair of trainers, an outfit that his grandmother would probably faint over if she saw her granddaughter dressed this way.

"Welcome to London!" Scorpius nearly jumped out of his skin at his best friend's shouting from behind him. "You look fit, very bonny."

"Uh…" Lyra trailed off, her eyes narrowing and her nose a bit scrunched up as she looked at the unexpected visitor. "Good to see you too, James."

"Scorp, she knows my name!" James hissed into Scorpius' ear as he tried to shove his best mate away from the doorway to get closer to Lyra. In spite of his efforts, James was unsuccessful at moving Scorpius.

Before Scorpius could properly rid himself of his obnoxious redheaded friend though, Lyra's mother appeared behind her daughter. First looking at Scorpius and smiling then at James, who caused her mouth to fall open.

"Oh, my stars, you look exactly like your father…" she trailed off, but whatever else she was going to say was cut off because at that moment, his fathers had finally appeared. With the arrival of the other wizards, the physical change in Lyra's mum was obvious. Her posture stiffened, much like his father's had been all morning, and her lips were pulled tight as she looked between the older wizards.

"Theo, Draco, nice to see the both of you," she greeted, though her tone was filled with as much warmth as the Arctic.

"Hermione, lovely to see you," Theo replied for the both of them, holding out the basket he'd been carrying with him and shoving it in her direction. "I hope you still like Prosecco, if not I did bring a nice collection from the wine cellar along with our lunch."

Everyone in the area – aside from Theo of course – turned to look at the brunette wizard who was grinning like a fool at Lyra's mum. Brushing his chestnut curls out of his eyes, he forced his way through the overly crowded doorway that still held all six of them and into the room. Even more to everyone's surprise, once Theo was standing in front of Hermione, he put his hands on her shoulders, looking her over and sizing her up. A sad expression was on his face as he stared at the witch he'd known so long ago before amazing everyone once again and pulling the witch into a tight embrace that was not returned.

"Theodore," Scorpius could hear the elder witch's muffled voice through the cotton shirt he wore, "what are you doing?"

Finally releasing the poor woman – who stumbled slightly, her own brown curls a mess after Theo's treatment and looked completely bewildered – Theo had a bright smile on his face once again.

"We're having a girls' day. No Pansy or Daphne this time, though I will say they are dying to see you. I can only hold them off for so long. I thought it would be best to start off with just the two of us, seeing as we're basically family now. Get reacquainted as the new husband and baby momma. I've already done this, well tried, with Astoria, I'm assuming that it'll be exponentially more fun with you than it was with that cow."

Scorpius laughed and tried to cover it with a cough at the way Theo so simply explained his plans as if everyone should just know what's happening and already agreed to go along with it.

"Theo, I don't know…" Lyra's mum trailed off as she was pulled further into the room by Theo.

"Well, I do. Going to let Draco and the spawns plus Potter Jr. have their day and we'll have ours." Scorpius could now only hear Theo as they turned the corner into the room. "Honestly, Granger, what type of room is this! Where's the sitting area and why are there beds right here!"

"It's called a standard room, you prat!" Scorpius heard Lyra's mum scold. "Not everyone can afford to stay in a suite for two weeks!"

"Well, we will be rectifying this situation, the peasants converging and eating breakfast on every surface is one thing, but this, this just will not do."

"Should we do something?" Lyra asked, concern on her face clear as she looked past Scorpius and to their dad. "She might dismember him; I know that tone."

Scorpius looked over his shoulder to his dad, who seemed completely shocked that Lyra would be addressing him directly. Though when his shoulders relaxed and he reached a hand out for Lyra and she placed her much smaller one in his, Scorpius let out a breath he hadn't even realised that he'd been holding in anticipation for this moment.

"It wouldn't be the first time, now come on, I hear you like Quidditch." Draco said, pulling Lyra into the hall and shutting the door behind her. "We have a box for the Falcons and are allowed to go watch their training sessions."

"You…You have a box?" Lyra asked dumbfounded as she trailed next to their dad, not dropping his hand as she followed him down the hallway.

"Have a box? That's a funny way of saying they bloody own the team," James murmured behind the father-daughter.

ooo

It had been a, well, magical day. As cliche as it sounded, it really had been. Draco was, well, he had somehow known a lot about her, probably from her mother or Scorpius telling him, and had planned a whole day filled with activities that she loved.

They'd started watching the Falmouth Falcons training session and then she'd been able to meet the players and coaches. After that, Draco had taken her out to lunch in London, where they'd gotten street food near a muggle park.

Scorpius had told her that the first time he'd seen it he'd nearly cried from how good it was and that when he wasn't away at school it was their Saturday ritual weather permitting.

Then in the afternoon, they'd spent the remainder of the time just exploring muggle London. Scorpius showed off some of his different places that he spent with his muggle friends, even pointing out Buckingham Palace, saying that he was mates with someone in the royal family.

So yes, the day had been very magical.

"Here we are," Draco said, looking up at the new accommodations that her mother had sent her to return to. Looking up at the hotel, Lyra knew that her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn't help it. They'd never stayed in a hotel that was so grand in her entire life, usually staying in places that were just a step above a motor inn. "Would you like us to walk you up to your room?" He asked.

"Er, no, it's alright. I can find my own way," Lyra answered, looking over at her brother and James who were both in a headlock by the other for whatever reason. "You might want to get them out of public before they injure themselves or someone else."

Following her line of sight, Draco looked over his shoulder, muttering a curse under his breath as he pulled out his wand and shot a stinging hex at the teenage boys who yelped and broke apart. With the boys now behaving, Draco turned back towards her smiling down at his daughter.

"Your mum said you are a bit of a potions prodigy," he said as Scorpius arrived, throwing an arm over her shoulders and James following close behind him. "I thought, well, if you're alright with it, that maybe tomorrow the two of us could go to my potions lab? Only if you're interested, that is."

"Oh, yes please!" Lyra exclaimed, leaning easily into her brother's side enjoying his nearness.

"Alright then," Draco replied, ruffling his son's hair, causing Scorpius to release her as he tried to flatten out the mess his father had just caused. "I'll see you tomorrow around nine then?"

"Sounds good," Lyra smiled at Draco, not entirely sure on how to leave him. Deciding to go for a more neutral approach, she nodded politely in his direction before turning towards her brother and wrapping him in a hug. When she released Scorpius, she found James standing next to him with his arms open waiting for an embrace of his own. The smile on her face dropped slightly as she raised a brow in his direction and ignored the irritating redhead.

Backing away, Lyra turned and began her trek towards the elevator, waving over her shoulder towards the small group as she went. The ride up was smoothed, powered by magic as opposed to electricity, and much faster than a normal elevator. When she reached the top floor where her new suite was located, Lyra walked through the hall, enjoying the magical portraits that smiled warmly in her direction while waving at each of them.

Not needing a key since the reservation had her name and picture for entry, she only tapped the knob with her wand before being admitted to the room. Stepping inside, her jaw dropped open at the sheer size of the sitting room she found herself standing in. It was nearly as large as the entire downstairs of the cottage she lived in back home in France.

Quietly slipping her shoes off, Lyra moved about in shock as she tried to take in the room. Gold was woven into everything from the curtains to the couch, and magic thrummed through the room, making her feel at ease as she admired the floral arrangements and the paintings of mermaids swimming through clear waters waving in her direction.

Moving to get closer to one golden blonde mermaid, Lyra found herself near a closed door and could hear voices floating through it. Not wanting to be rude, Lyra meant to announce her arrival, but what she heard had her pause.

"That's why I ended things in sixth year. Thoros, he was sitting in Azkaban and he told me that if I wasn't finished that he'd imperius me and force me to kill you myself. You have to understand, just as I had to break things off with you, Draco found himself in the same position. Draco's fear of what might happen to you drove his decisions. It's horrific, but at birth, the both of us had blood magic done on us so that we couldn't share family secrets without the head of our house's permission. Because of that, despite being an Auror himself, he couldn't take the threats to the DMLE."

Lyra's hands shot up to her mouth as she muffled the gasp. Her mother's life had been threatened ? By these pureblood wankers? By both Draco and Theo's fathers?

"What do you think would have happened if I'd told him about Lyra? Lucius would have killed us both." Her mother's reply came, her voice soft and shaking as if she was crying. "He was able to get Greyback into my bedroom, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to off me and an infant."

Lyra's heart rate began to rise as more pieces began to fall into place. There really had been a danger, maybe not from Draco directly, but from his family.

"I don't know what would have happened. In retrospect, maybe you did the best thing and saved both of you. Maybe you should have given Draco a chance to hide you himself or at least let him know that you were alive. He mourned you, for years, not that you knew that, but it's what happened. We can sit here and speculate for hours what might have happened, but at the end of the day you both made choices that hurt the other and we don't know what would have been the outcome had you not gone down these paths."

"I thought he was going back to his father. Got tired of being poor." Her mother was crying in earnest now, and Lyra could feel her heart breaking for what she'd been through. All these years, holding it all in alone. It was no wonder that she'd built up that brick wall and never let anyone in.

"Never, Granger. You're worth more than all the gold in the world." Theo reassured her mother, and she could hear the sobs through the door.

Curiosity got the better of her, and while Lyra knew that she shouldn't, she couldn't stop herself as she opened the door to have a look inside the private moment being shared between old friends. In a heap of limbs was her mother, Theo's shirt clutched in her fists as she shed all the tears that she'd been holding back for so long. The weight of what she'd carried and finally being able to give some of that to someone who had lived it with her.

"We've all had a chance to heal, but you haven't been able to do any of that yet, have you?" Theo asked, cupping her mother's jaw and tilting her face back so he could look her in the eye. Lyra's stomach rolled, her thoughts going through what clues she might have missed from her mother in all these years and how she was.

Hermione had never dated, well at least not that Lyra was aware of. She'd never grown close with anyone aside from Aunt Gabby, and from Gabby's recount to Lyra the only reason that had happened was because Gabby had forced herself into their lives. Even with her grandparents years later, her mum still didn't seem comfortable around them when she'd take Lyra to drop her off for her monthly visit every summer break.

"No, I haven't," Hermione's answer came at just barely a whisper.

"I think it's about time you let us take care of you, there's no more need to run or hide from us."

Notes:

After the absolute shit show that was the comment and review section that was the last chapter...
Both Hermione and Draco made choices that affected the other and they are flawed characters. This is a Lyra and Scorpius POV story. We aren't going to see the adult inner workings. The first few chapters for set up was all that will be from Hermione's POV, the rest is being pieced together from the perspective of their teenage children.
Furthermore, this is a WIP. That means that the story is still developing, characters are still developing and if that's not something you want to sit with then subscribe and hold off on reading until its complete, that's the best advice I can give.

Reminder, if you can't say something nice maybe don't say anything at all. After the last chapter it took a lot to get me back into even wanting to type up another chapter and it was only by the encouragement and kind words that reminded me to write my story the way I envisioned it.

Anyway, here's some housekeeping.

This and my other WIP Its Complicated are the two stories that I'm putting my most effort into finishing at the moment, but it will be slow going. I am in graduate school, therefore that will be taking up the large majority of my time and mental energy until the semester is over (first week of December).
To keep myself from going crazy with I will still chip away at chapters over the next 16 weeks, but again, it will be slow going.

For updates on what I'm working on or previews for chapters you can find me on social media. Facebook, Sarah Fraser's Forest and Dreomione Appreciation and then on X (formerly twitter) sarahfhickman