Forever and Always

by MissCera

Posted originally on AO3 under same name. Dramione one-shot Lemon Warning Let me know what you think

The wizarding world is in a time of peace. With the fall of the blood supremacist dictator Tom Riddle, or Voldemort, those who came out the other side lived to the best of their abilities. Children of both light and dark were able to come together, healing and growing from the trials and tribulations of the aftermath of the war. Many of those same children were scarred inside and out but were able to power through with the help of those who came and left before them. One of those children was Hermione Granger, a muggleborn witch who believed she had to prove her worth to belong in the magical world.

After the war, Hermione returned to Hogwarts with her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. The three embarked on a journey of healing and reconciliation, finishing their eighth year at the sacred school. They reached out to those on the other side of the war, such as Draco Malfoy, whose family suffered the highest consequence from their allegiance to the Dark Lord.

The eldest Malfoy, Lucius, was sentenced to life in Azkaban, while the matriarch, Narcissa, was placed on house arrest for five years, life without magic until the time lapsed. The sole heir to the Malfoy name, Draco, was pardoned from his crimes due to the memories of Severus Snape, exonerating him from the murder of Albus Dumbledore. However, the young wizard was faced with the challenge of proving his loyalty and rebuilding his life, placed on probation under the watchful eye of Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, tasked with finishing his education alongside the children of the light. On top of everything, the children of the fallen Death Eaters were placed in mandatory muggle reform classes, a step towards understanding and acceptance.

In those classes, Draco, along with Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and countless others, embarked on a journey of discovery. They learned about the importance of muggles and how cutting ties with their community could result in the fall of their world. They delved into the realms of math, science, and different forms of music and art, enriching themselves with knowledge they had never before encountered.

The youngest Malfoy, in particular, underwent a profound transformation. He saw a world of possibilities opening up before him. He realized that after finishing his education and at the end of his probation, he could venture into the muggle world to further his education, only to return as a licensed crime scene investigator specializing in criminal anthropology. Working alongside the Aurors of the Department of Law Enforcement, Draco still has much to learn about the new wizarding world, and the one witch who will help him, regardless of what they both want, is Hermione Granger.

DMLE

Draco's Laboratory

12 years after the Battle of Hogwarts

Theodore Nott smirks as he watches the most recent screaming match between Draco Malfoy and Golden Girl Granger. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley stand on either side of him as Hermione's magic sparks around her; Draco ducking as part of the magic barely misses his head.

"Calm your magic, Granger!" He growls, striding over to the shorter witch, looking down at her in menace. Clenching her fists, Hermione looks up at him with as much fury as she had in their school days. "Unless you want to level this entire floor when your magic mixes with those already unstable potions." He states, turning away from her to place yet another layer of shields along his work area. The witch lets out a frustrated grunt before taking a deep breath, the buzz of magic dwindling off.

"Five galleons, Malfoy says something to get her going again," Ron Weasley whispers to the ex-Slytherin. Theo, saying nothing, holds out his hand. The redheaded wizard shakes it silently as Hermione begins to pace again.

"Good girl, Granger."

"Damnit, Draco," Theo says, taking out the winnings and handing them to his Auror partner, the other taking it with a chuckle. Harry lets out a sigh, gripping the bridge of his nose.

"Malfoy…" He starts before another wave of Hermione's magic bursts forward.

"Do not patronize me, Malfoy. You have a lot of nerve. First, you go over my head to Dawlish, then you completely disrupt an ongoing investigation, and finally, you ruin a fourteen-month undercover operation that we had against Yaxley!" She shouts, placing her hands on her hips and sneering at the wizard, causing the room to go silent.

"Your findings would not hold up in Wizengamot; any junior defense lawyer could tear it apart. The last time I checked, I had the most experience regarding Death Eaters and their operations; my intel is vital. Everyone was on board except you. Miss Little Perfect Priss Puss cannot admit when she is wrong. Nothing backed up your claims that Yaxley was in France; you were wasting resources on a dead end. The sooner you accept that the sooner we can move on and find him!"

"Okay, before anyone loses a limb or god forbid you to blow up the Ministry, let's pump the breaks for a moment. Hermione, you are my best friend, but Malfoy is not wrong. Recent chatter has Yaxley in South America, and Aurors are heading there now to meet up with the local department to find him. Malfoy, you shouldn't be rude and condescending when talking to Hermione. Nott and Ron, stop betting in public."

"Oh, come on, Harry, it's easy money," Ron says, shoving the galleons in his pocket before grabbing Hermione as she lunges at Draco. The blonde wizard smirked, turning away from them and grabbing files off his desk. Walking over to the struggling witch, he throws the files before her. Her eyes are narrow as she pulls her arms out of Ron's grasp. Flipping through one of the files, a blush forms on her cheeks as she silently scans the findings. As she goes to open her mouth, the door of Malfoy's lab opens.

"Didn't I say that if you are going to have an orgy to invite me?" Blaise Zabini says, stepping in, followed by Ginny Weasley, or Ginny Potter, for the last ten years. The witch punches his arm before walking over to her husband with a smile. Boy Wonder grins, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while placing his hand over the swell of her belly.

"How are my girls doing today?" He asks, making baby noises, causing the peanut gallery to make gagging motions behind his back.

"We are fine, though I believe she is training to be a flamenco dancer on my bladder." Ginny Potter says, placing a hand over his. Draco Malfoy lets out a sigh, turning back to his work.

"She really shouldn't be in here, Potter. As I said before, there are many unstable potions here. Can you take this somewhere else?" he asks, pulling on latex gloves before motioning them to leave.

"Right, yes, just get those results in as soon as possible. The rest of you, back to work." Theo and Ron hold their hands to their foreheads before marching out of the room. While reading the findings, Hermione groans before placing the file in front of her.

"You aren't completely incompetent, Malfoy, but I want to be kept in the loop." She says, turning away and leaving the room with a huff. Ginny smirks, her eyes following after the witch before looking over at the wizard bent over his table.

"Ferret."

"Red."

The Potters leave the room, closing the door behind them. The blonde wizard lets out a sound of annoyance, looking at the last occupant of his domain. Blaise chuckles, sitting in the chair behind his desk, propping his feet up.

"Can I help you?" Malfoy says, dropping the shields around the potions, causing the room's temperature to heat up. Blaise pinches his nose and squints his eyes.

"Dear Merlin, what are you working on now?" Waving his wand, he places a barrier on himself, taking a deep breath as the magic vibrates around him. Malfoy chuckles, pulling a mask over his face and putting a pair of muggle protection glasses over his eyes.

"Nothing you need to worry about; what did you want, Zabini?"

"Touchy touchy, fine, if you must know, our dear Cissy has contacted me again." Draco groans. "I know, but you know, she wouldn't come to me if you answered her letters, mate. She is getting restless and threatened to find dates for me if I don't bring you on board."

"I do not have time for dates; I told her this. There is simply no time in my life for useless small talk and the whole getting to know someone."

"Well, she mentioned a possible arranged marriage, that you could fall in love after the wedding. However, if there were a way to spawn her a grandchild with or without a daughter-in-law, she would be fine with that too." Blaise says, twirling a quill between his fingers. Draco lets out another grunt, a red twinge creeping up his neck.

"I am not getting married." He says, throwing up the barrier again and pulling off his gloves. He motions for Blaise to move, sitting in his chair after the wizard moves to the other side. The other laughs as he walks to the door.

"Well, good luck with that. I did my job; now I must return before Weasley gets another hernia."

"Percy Weasley curses the day he accepted your employment. Now, go away; I have a letter to write."

"Tell Cissy I said hello and that I delivered her message. Drinks later?" He says, walking out the door. Draco grunts, leaning over his desk, writing a quick note to his mother for a meeting. Sending it with a wave of his wand, he sighs before leaning back in his chair. There had to be something he could do to get her off his back about this whole marriage ordeal. Then, an idea began to form in his head, an excellent and dangerous idea. Getting her on board would be the first step.

DMLE

Hermione's Office

"Sugar?" Hermione asks, holding the top of her sugar container open and looking over at the red-headed witch sitting in one of her lush chairs. Ginny Potter shakes her head, leaning back and rubbing her stomach gently. Her husband stands behind her, squeezing her shoulders, before leaning down and kissing her.

"I have a meeting with Dawlish; I'll be back in twenty; you good here?" He asks, nuzzling his wife's neck. Ginny grins before nodding,

"No rush, dear, go do your job; I'll catch up with Hermione." Harry chuckles before saying a quick goodbye, closing the door behind him as he leaves. Hermione places a cup of steaming tea in front of her friend before sitting in the chair across from her with her third cup of coffee.

"So, want to tell me what happened today and why it looked like you wanted to fuck and strangle Malfoy all at once."

"Your pregnancy hormones are mistaken; I do not want to fuck Malfoy," Hermione says, a blush forming ever so slightly. Ginny blows on her tea before taking a sip, chuckling as she places it back on the desk.

"Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say, my hormones have never been wrong before." Hermione gives her a look while picking up a file. "Fine, say I am wrong, but think about it, Hermione, would it be so awful? He looks good, I mean good. In the 8th year, he looked good, but now, woof. If I were not happily married and seven months pregnant, I would climb that tree like a bowtruckle."

"Gin…"

"No, seriously, Hermione, after my brother, after Krum and Wood, when was the last time you went on a date?" Groaning, the witch places the file back on her desk before giving Mrs. Potter another look. The witch smirked as Hermione said something under her breath. "What was that?"

"Four years, are you happy? I don't have time to date. I am too busy with work, and the last thing on my mind is going out with some stranger to turn around and go home disappointed." Hermione leans back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling, praying that a Patronus would interrupt them with a case.

She did not expect her prayers to be answered, but not in the way she had hoped. A glowing patronus of the viper slithers into her office, looking directly at her. Hermione groans once she realizes the sender, and Draco Malfoy's voice fills her ears.

"Granger, could you come back to the lab? I have something I need to discuss with you." Ginny lets out a cackle as the patronus disappears.

"What do you think he wants to talk about?" She asks, leaning up with a grunt. Hermione grimaces.

"I don't know. Do you think I could ignore it?"

Before Ginny could answer her, another patronus entered the room. The witch giggles as Malfoy's voice speaks out again.

"Before I die of old age, Granger."

"Wow, must be important. You know, don't wear your Auror robes, and you might get a date out of this." Hermione rolls her eyes before looking down at her outfit. While she would never admit it, Ginny was right: Malfoy did look good these days. He towered over her, almost as tall as Ron, with thick arms and thighs that she imagined from time to time when she was home alone. She makes a noise of frustration before peeling off the heavily charmed robes. Ginny lets out a wolf whistle as she straightens out her blouse.

"Stop it," Hermione says, debating buttoning the rest of her shirt. The younger witch grins at her before wiggling her eyebrows.

"Have fun."

"Don't get up." Ginny laughs as she nods. With this third pregnancy, she was having a more challenging time moving around, so she took advantage of it anytime she could kick back and relax. "If Harry comes back before me, tell him to lock the door when you leave," Hermione says, kissing the woman's cheek quickly. Ginny looks up at her with sisterly love, and as Hermione turns to leave, she smacks her on her ass.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Hermione rolls her eyes before leaving the room and heading to Malfoy's lab.

DMLE

Auror Bullpen

"How's the investigation into the vampire nest going?" Harry Potter asks, looking over at the Aurors around him. Theo folds his arms behind his head, leaning back in his chair, taking a deep breath.

"So far, so good; we have tracked them down to a cave on the old Lestrange Manor grounds. There is no movement yet, but we are monitoring the residents in the surrounding areas. As of yesterday afternoon, there have been no reports of anyone missing or sporting new bite marks." Ron Weasley nods in agreement as Potter turns to the next team.

"What about Umbridge? Was the tip of her sighting legitimate?" Theo tunes out as the discussions continue around him. He never expected that he would end up as an Auror. If it weren't for his father, he would be at home rolling in his riches without a care. However, until Nott Sr.'s death, his claim of limitless wealth isn't within his reach.

"Does Malfoy have a thing for Hermione?" His partner whispers to him, leaning over their desk. Theo chuckles, looking over at the wizard.

"What do you think?" Weasley rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to Potter.

"Right, well, keep up the good work. Malfoy will be available tomorrow morning for any forensics, so if you have anything for him, hold it until then." Theo sits up straighter and his attention peaks.

"What do you think that's about?" Theo asks, looking over at Weasley. The third part of the Golden Trio shrugs, opens his file, and grabs a quill.

"Dunno, but I'm sure Harry knows." Theo grins before rushing after Potter.

"Potter!" he yells after him, closing the distance between them. Standing outside of Granger's office, the door opens, revealing Ginny Potter. The married couple looks up as he joins them.

"Why isn't Draco seeing anyone else today?" Harry runs a hand through his hair, a sign that he is uncomfortable, a habit he formed in school that Theo noticed early on.

"Something about a meeting with Hermione and then going home to his mother. I don't know, you'll have to ask him, but I don't know if you will get an answer." Potter's wife chuckles, wrapping an arm around his boss,

"He sent a patronus earlier asking Hermione to come to his office."

"Well then, I don't know about you, but I need Draco's help. Potter, Mrs. Potter." Theo says with a grin, turning and walking away from them. The sounds of Potter's objections fall on deaf ears as he turns the corner before heading down one level. The lights flicker as he nears the hall, the area's temperature warmer than the rest. Grinning, he walks up to the door, leaning in silently, placing his ear to the door.

"Shit." He whispers to himself; a Muffliato charm has been placed on the room, and buzzing fills his ear as he stands straighter. Pacing, running possible scenarios of what was happening behind the door. As he goes to knock, the charm drops, cursing, and he steps away from the door before turning away.

The door opens as he pretends to arrive. He smiles when the once bushy-haired witch steps into the hallway.

"Hey, Granger, fancy meeting you here." She jumps slightly, a blush covering the majority of her face. Looking behind her at Draco, no doubt, she nods before pushing past him.

"Yeah, hey, bye, Nott." Granger takes off hastily, never looking back before going around the corner and out of sight. Chuckling to himself, he pushes the door open, stepping into the lab.

"Granger left in a hurry. Do you want to tell me what that was about?" Theo asks, walking towards his friend sitting behind his desk. The wizard rolls his eyes before going back to his work.

"Not particularly. Did you need something?"

"Not at all, just needed some fresh air." Draco's eyebrows raise as he looks at him questioningly.

"So, you decided to come to the forensics lab? Were you ever assessed as a child?"

"Why yes, I was, they found nothing wrong. Why do you ask?" The Malfoy heir laughs before shaking his head. Theo smirks before sitting down in front of his friend. The other wizard looks up at him, his eyes narrowing.

"Right, well, if you don't need anything, I am about to leave for the day," Theo smirks even wider as he leans over the desk, noting the redness of Draco's ears.

"Trying to get rid of me? Does it have anything to do with our favorite Gryffindor?" Draco growls, closing the file in front of him. Folding his hands in front of him, the forensic investigator glares at his childhood friend with malice that would send a chill down the Dark Lord's spine.

"I am, and no, it has nothing to do with Granger; now leave." Theo throws his hands out in front of him, signaling a surrender. Chuckling, he stands up, turning to leave before pausing at the door,

"If you want to talk about it, you know where I live." A glass beaker misses his head by an inch. Turning and looking at his friend with faked shock, he places a hand over his heart. "Those are getting closer every day."

"Keep pushing your luck, Nott," Draco says between gritted teeth, pointing his wand at him and levitating another beaker before him. Theo chuckles, running a hand through his hair, a habit he picked up from watching Potter for all those years in school. He bows at his friend, saying a quick goodbye before rushing out the door, a beaker crashing as the door shuts.

"Rude," Theo says to no one, putting his hands into his pocket. Whistling a tune, he heads back towards the Auror bullpen.

Malfoy Manor

"Is that you, Draco?" A voice calls out as Draco Malfoy steps through the entrance of his parents' floor. Dusting the soot off his shoulder, he heads to the sitting parlor, where he was sure his mother's voice came from. Stepping into the brightly lit room, Draco smiles as his mother starts to get up, rushing to her side. He holds on to her as she stands, wrapping his arms around her more petite frame. She would never admit it, but the years after the war were more complicated for her. While living alone in the large estate, she was still strong in some ways, but with every day, she grew weaker.

"Hello, Mother," Draco says, placing his head on hers. The Malfoy matriarch sighs, squeezing him ever so slightly. After the war, they had become more affectionate with each other. Growing up, she could only hug him when his father wasn't around, and if they were caught, Merlin helped them. He could still hear his father's words in his ears,

"Malfoy men do not hug. You are making him weak, Narcissa."

"You are looking thin, my dragon." She says, leaning away from him and cupping his face. He smiles down at her, his eyes meeting hers. The once bright blue eyes were dimmer than before. It broke his heart every time he came back to his childhood home. Once he returned from the muggle world, he promptly moved out to a flat within walking distance of the ministry.

"I'm eating fine, Mother; don't you worry about that." He says, helping her sit. She coughs slightly, picking up her handkerchief and bringing it to her mouth. Draco sits across from her, taking her hand into his. "Mother, you must stop badgering my friends about my lack of dating. Blaise is worried that you are going to set him up."

"Pish posh, I was only teasing him, but Draco, I am lonely here. I would love these halls again filled with children's laughter."

"Mother…"

"No, I am putting my foot down. I will give you another month if you do not bring a woman, witch, or muggle home. I don't care now; I will start looking for marriage prospects. Your father has agreed and has had the family will be rewritten. You will not see a dime of your inheritance until a woman wears the family ring." She starts coughing again, placing a hand over her heart. Draco lowers his head. He knew she wasn't doing well these days, but this was probably the worst he had ever seen. Squeezing her hand, he nods.

"Of course, I understand mother. However, these things take time. I will start dating and maybe marry in a year or two."

"Six months."

"Mother." Draco looks at her warmly, holding in his anger. As much as he wanted to argue and fight with her, he didn't want to affect her health anymore. Narcissa waves her hand in front of her before nodding.

"One year, Draco, and then I expect an engagement. Do this for me, please, my dear dragon." The wizard nods, giving her hand one more squeeze as their house-elf Winny pops up.

"Snacks to go with your tea are ready, Mistress. Do you need anything, Master Draco?" Draco shakes his head,

"No, thank you, Winny. I am only stopping by for a moment. I have some work to deal with, but I'll be back this weekend for dinner." Winny bows before popping back into the kitchens.

"You aren't staying?"

"No, Mother, I am meeting with Hermione Granger to review a case." At the sound of the Golden Girl's name, Narcissa perks up.

"How is Miss Granger doing these days?" Narcissa sips her tea as finger foods pop up on her side of the table. Draco lets out a sigh.

"She is well, still as hardheaded as she was in school, just older like me."

"Do you think she would ever join me for tea?" With another squeeze of his mother's hand, Draco stands.

"I am not sure she would want to come here, Mother, but I will ask." Narcissa smiles, turning back to her tea.

"One month, Draco."

"Yes, Mother, have a good evening." He says, leaning down and placing a kiss on her cheek. Draco walks away from her, sensing her sadness with each step; he turns and looks at her again, memorizing the faint lines gracing her face. He feels the beginning of tears filling his eyes; turning quickly in the opposite direction, he heads to the floor. The ghosts of the past seemed to follow as he felt the air leaving his lungs and the room becoming colder. While he would never admit it, returning home was becoming harder and harder. After the whole 'dating' ordeal, he would find somewhere for his mother to live, closer to him and with a garden. Taking one more breath, breathing in the smells of his once warm childhood home, he frowns, grabs a handful of floo powder, throws it down, and disappears into a green flame.

Hermione's Cottage

There were many things Hermione Granger found enjoyable after a long day: the squeak of her front gate, the sound of her heels against the cobbled stones, the meows from her oldest friend as she stepped through the door, the smell of tea brewing as she changed clothes, sitting in her favorite chair with whatever book she was reading, tea in hand, and finally being able to relax from the stressful day at work.

A blush creeps onto her face for the hundredth time that day as she recalls her time in Malfoy's lab. He had explained to her about his mother's health and how she wanted nothing more than for her only son to bring home a witch. She would arrange a marriage on his behalf if he didn't get one home soon. It confused Hermione to all ends as to why this mattered to her until he told her the reason for his request. Draco, ex-Slytherin, son of a Death Eater, charming and sexy as hell, Malfoy wanted her to act as if they were dating. He said it would benefit both of them; he wouldn't have to hear from his mother about his lack of dating life, and she wouldn't have to hide whenever Cormac came into a room. Then, he had to go as far as to offer to pay for her time. Like she was some glorified call girl for sale, though she did enjoy the begging, she wondered if there was any way to prolong that before accepting or turning him down.

He didn't know that while his mother was interfering in his decisions, she had problems with her friends and family, always inquiring about her love life or lack thereof. If she had to sit through one more family dinner and listen to her mother and aunt talk about weddings and babies, she would end up bald from the hair she pulled out during each visit.

Once the fall of Voldemort, she found her parents, and thankfully, she was able to restore their memories. They were not pleased with her but understood ultimately. They forgave her, but not before making her promise that she would never make that decision without discussing it with them first. Her parents returned to England and lived happily. They retired, traveling six months out of the year, sending pictures and postcards with each adventure. Hermione was jealous, but when the time came for her to retire in the far future, she wasn't sure she would ever be able to relax fully.

Her thoughts are interrupted as an owl pecks against her window. Sighing, she stands, knocking the blanket off her lap before letting the creature in. Crookshanks meows loudly as the window opens and the owl flies in. The majestic bird is a stunning grey with piercing yellow eyes, almost as judging her little cottage.

"There are treats for you over by the table; help yourself." She says as she takes the letter from it. The owl screeches before going over to the dish, taking a few bites happily before looking back at her. Shaking her head, she opens the letter and immediately notices who it is from, just by glancing at the elegant handwriting. What did Malfoy want now?

"Granger, I want to apologize for dragging you into this. I know you haven't made any decisions yet, but my mother has given me a time limit. One month, if you can believe it. I can imagine what your face looks like at this very moment. I know it is a lot to ask for, but as I mentioned earlier, it would work in our favor. I want to take this opportunity to invite you to dinner so that we can discuss further. If you decide not to agree, just let me know. Titus, my owl, is ensuring you read the letter and will return regardless of whether you answer me now. Just tell him to return to me, and he will. Do not fatten him up more than he is; he gets plenty of food at home. Poor thing, your master doesn't want you to have treats." She says, looking at the owl and giggling before continuing to read.

"Like I said, you don't have to answer, but if I could, I'd get on my knees and beg you to change your mind; I would. I am desperate, and out of all of the available witches in our friend group, you are the one I know that Mother would believe the most about potential relationships. My family has come a long way from believing in blood superiority, and to be completely honest with you, my father mentioned in passing that he could see you as a prospective bride for me just by feeling the magic radiating off of you. He said this after seeing you during his fourth year, and that was when he and his mother noticed my fascination with you. You are a powerful and beautiful witch, Granger, and I would be fortunate if you decided ever to have me. Give it some more thought, and you can let me know at work or send a letter; either is fine with me." Hermione feels the blush returning to her face again. Placing the letter down on her table, she glances around at the animals looking at her.

"You can return to your owner now, Titus," she says before the owl takes off through her open window. Crookshanks stretches and heads out of the room, leaving Hermione alone in her Thoughts. She groans, grabs a piece of parchment from a pile nearby, and makes a quick pro/con list.

Shaking her head, Hermione puts her quill down with a huff. Shit, she was in deep. One of the last things that Hermione found enjoyable was the love-hate relationship she had formed with Slytherin after the war.

At the age of eleven, he was her first crush; at twelve, she was heartbroken when he called her mudblood for the first time; at thirteen, she felt the crush slowly fading away after punching him on the way to Hagrid's. However, at fourteen, after feeling his stares as she danced during the Yule Ball, the crush reared its frustrating head again; at fifteen, she was terrified after facing his father at the Department of Mysteries, and then at sixteen, she snuck into the hospital wing and felt her heart break for other reasons while looking down at the heavily bandaged boy and the ugly mark on his arm. The day she was brought to his home, and their eyes met while his aunt was bent over her, she felt numb, but there was still something there that she would never admit aloud. Once they returned to Hogwarts, seeing him for the first time since testifying for him and his mother at the Wizengamot, her heart started to beat for him again. Gone was the sickly boy, and a healthy and robust man was in his place. His hair looked soft, and his eyes, the fire, had finally returned to them.

Years later, after they graduated, she ran into him again, only this time she was dating, and he was avoiding her. Only after their friends forced them to drink together did they realize that they had so much in common, and thus, their friendship began. After her horrendous breakup with Oliver Wood, he found her in a muggle bar, drowning in tequila, and spent the entire night listening to her complain about being a spinster and dying alone. The following workday, she wasn't able to meet his eye.

Grabbing another blank piece of parchment, she scribbles a quick note before heading to her window. With a whistle, her barn owl comes flying to her. "Hera, take this to Draco Malfoy; do not wait for a reply. Once he accepts the letter, leave, and I'll give you double treats on your return." Hermione says, handing the letter to the creature. Hera screeches before flying away silently. Watching the owl fly from her view, Hermione sighs before grabbing her blanket and sitting back in her chair, waving her wand and reheating her tea.

DMLE

The next day

Draco paced in his office as his thoughts ramped up. Granger had sent a response to his letter, but before he could even finish reading her reply, he had to sit down. She was willing to go to dinner with him and discuss their plan. He felt she would accept, but not that she had; he didn't know how to react.

"Draco, mate, I can't help you unless I know why I am here at this ungodly hour." Theo Nott says, yawning for the tenth time since arriving. Draco pauses mid-step and looks over at his friend.

"It's 9:30."

"Exactly, I usually take my morning nap before Potter arrives at 10…so do you want to tell me what this is about, or can I close my eyes for a few minutes." With a sigh, Draco sits in his chair and places his face into his hands. Theo cocks an eyebrow at him before closing his eye, wiggling to get more comfortable in the stiff guest chair.

"I asked Granger to dinner to discuss our entering a fake relationship to fool Mother into believing we are in a real courtship."

"I'm awake. Merlin's saggy sack Draco, how…. when…what the actual fuck?!" Theo says, standing up and pacing to the door and back. Draco lets out a groan, leaning back in his chair.

"What was I thinking? It's Granger; there is no way I can do this without developing…"

"Let me stop you right there; this will be a catastrophe. Mate, you have been crushing on the witch since third year…and don't even deny it; I remember that giddy fucking luck you had while sporting a black eye when you came back to the common room. What were you thinking? If you needed a fake girlfriend to please Cissy, plenty of witches I know would gladly step up to the plate." Draco growls, his eyes shut as he runs his hands through his hair. He had picked up the annoying habit after entering the Auror training and being partnered with Potter most of the time.

"Fine, let's say you are right…"

"I am."

"Shut up, bloody hell. Look at the idea of having some random witch on my arm, which makes my skin crawl. Mother would be able to tell the minute I bring said witch home. Granger was the only logical choice. Mother knows how I feel about her, so she is more likely to believe Granger is accepting than anyone else." Theo blows a low before sitting back down across from his friend. It hurt him to see the inner turmoil reaching the surface.

As he goes to make another comment, there is a knock on Draco's door. Sitting up, the wizard looks at the shadow of the person standing on the other side of the glass. 'It's Granger.' He thinks to himself as the person knocks again. Theo, looking between his friend and the door, smirked.

"I'll get it."

"Wait, Theo, don't!" Draco starts as the other wizard rushes to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open. Sure enough, it's Granger, standing there in all her glory. Blushing, she nods at Theo before stepping in. She rubs her hands against her skirt, a motion Draco tracks with his eyes before looking up at her face.

"I have to get back to work, Draco; lunch later?" Theo asks, closing the door before Draco can answer him. The wizard would pay for this later, but at this moment, he had other things to worry about.

"Malfoy, sorry for intruding." She starts, looking around the room, avoiding his eyes. Draco smirked slightly to himself; she was just as nervous. This side of Granger was surprising but not unwelcome. Grinning to himself, he turns on the charm, standing up and walking over to her. She looks at him, the blush turning a deeper red, and backs up slowly as he heads towards her. Her back hits the wall, causing a small gasp to escape her lips. Draco needed a recording of that sound to replay over and over again.

"You're not intruding, Granger; if anything, you are right on time." He says, his voice coming out deeper than he intended. The witch looks up at him as he places a hand on either side of her head, caging her in. He took a deep breath of her scent, vanilla with a hint of coffee and cinnamon. Shaking his head to rid himself of perverse thoughts, he glances down at the shorter witch. Once their eyes meet, he does not lean down to steal a kiss from her. "What did you need?" he asks, taking a piece of her hair and pushing it behind her ear. A visible shiver runs over her body as she leans into his touch. He smirks again.

"I wanted to compare our schedules to see when we should have dinner."

"Typical Granger. Don't worry your pretty little head about that; I'll handle everything." He leans closer to her, his lips almost touching her ear, "All you have to do is say yes and show up."

"I like to plan things, Malfoy; surely you know this about me by now." He laughs, standing up and pushing away from the wall. Granger repeatedly rubs her hands on her skirt; he watches before returning to his desk.

"I know, as do I, but I think some spontaneity would be good for both of us. It's Thursday, so let's go for Saturday, muggle London; I have a standing reservation at this spot right across the street from the Leaky. What do you say?" Granger is silent for a moment, and before Draco can turn around, she answers,

"Saturday is fine with me; what time?"

"The reservation begins at 7:30."

"7:30 it is; see you then, Malfoy." She rushes out of the room, and once the door shuts with a faint click, Draco can breathe normally again. He had a date with Hermione Granger, a date on Saturday at 7:30, and holy shit, this was happening. Smirking, he sits down in his chair; he waves his wand, summoning his patronus charm. The viper forms and looks at its castor.

"Go to Theo; if he is alone, repeat this message."

DMLE

Hermione's Office

"Holy shit."

"I know."

"Hermione, holy shit, what the fuck, are you trying to send me into early labor?" Ginny Potter says from her seat. Hermione groans, messing with her hair in the mirror's reflection in the corner of her office. The blush had made its permanent home on her face since she sent her letter to the blonde-haired wizard the night before. Then, earlier in his office, he looked as if he was going to kiss her right then and there. She only realized she wasn't alone once she was safe in her office. After her heartbeat calmed, she retold her best friend about yesterday's events and what she had just experienced downstairs.

"Ginny, do you think I have gone mad?" The pregnant witch lets out a small laugh before grinning.

"Not at all; I have been rooting for you and Malfoy since the git came to the department."

"I was dating Oliver then."

"I was still rooting for you two then. Oliver was and still is to this day a bag of dicks who isn't worthy to lick the shit from the bottom of your boot. The minute you dumped his sorry ass, I threw a party, ask Harry. Oh, I almost forgot, you have made me a rich woman, Hermione Jean Granger; thank you so much!" Ginny says with a squeal.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asks her, sitting in the chair directly beside her. The witch grins, taking her friend's hand into hers.

"I had a bet with Harry; he said you and Malfoy would never end up together, that there was too much between you, and I bet you would for that reason. He forgets that you and I roomed back at the Burrow, and I know all about little Hermione's feelings about our favorite, amazing, bouncing ferret." Hermione groans before leaning forward and placing her head into her hands.

"I have nothing to wear." She grits out, causing her friend to squeal, much to her displeasure.

"I can help with that. Oh, honey, he isn't going to know what hit him. I need to talk to Theo."

"Theo, why?" She looks at the witch, her eyes wide with worry. This wasn't something that she wanted to be known throughout the department, though. He was in Malfoy's office this morning, so he might already know. From what Hermione could gather, they were best friends.

"Help me up; I need to find him." Hermione shakes her head before placing a hand on her knee.

"I'll find him, but I don't think my heart can take whatever you two will talk about." Standing up, she heads out of her office and to the bullpen. Heading over to Theo and Ron's area, she sighs as she steps closer.

"Granger, what can I do for you?" Nott says with a smirk. Ron looks up at her with a mouthful of what Hermione could only guess is a muffin.

"Ginny has requested your presence in my office," Hermione says, looking down at her feet. Nott chuckles before getting out of his chair.

"I'll be back in a flash, Weasley. Coming Granger?"

"No, I will wait out here; you two are a bit much for me unless tequila is involved." Nott laughs again before walking away from her. Ron clears his throat, causing the witch to look at him.

"Want to explain?"

"Not really, no." Ron shrugs his shoulders, taking another bite of his muffin, handing out a second one to Hermione. The witch sighed before taking the food from his hand. At times like these, the only thing that would calm her nerves was the delicious baking by Molly Weasley.

"Lemon and poppyseed, it's like she knew I was having a stressful morning." Hermione moans as she takes a bite, another moan rumbling through her. Ron chuckles into his muffin before opening one of the files on his desk.

Hermione felt the stress lift from her shoulders as the warmth from Molly's homemade muffin surrounded her. She wasn't acting like herself; if anything, she was acting like a schoolgirl going through her first crush. Granted, Malfoy was her first crush, and her eleven-year-old self was cheering loudly inside of her. She just had to be optimistic that things would work out okay. They would go to dinner, talk, laugh, and maybe at the end of the night when they say their goodbyes, she will receive a goodnight kiss. Then, the only thing to do is learn more about each other before sitting down with the Malfoy matriarch and hopefully fooling her into believing they are dating.

Going over to Malfoy Manor made a shiver run through her. Shaking her head, she clears her head of the thought. It had been twelve years since the day she was tortured on their marble floors. She had been through events much worse than that and could move on. She is a badass Auror; there was hardly anything she couldn't do. Spending an hour with Narcissa Malfoy for tea would not break her. Popping the last muffin into her mouth, she sits at Theo's desk, looking at the mess with a scowl.

"Wow, he is as messy as you." Ron lets out a laugh.

"It doesn't normally look like that; he can't find the file for Pansy, and he is freaking out."

"How are you two doing?" Hermione asks as she starts to tidy the space up. Ronald and Pansy were a couple no one expected, but after seeing them together, it made sense. She leveled him out, keeping him rooted and in place while he symbolized freedom to her. They were complete opposites, and that seemed to work in their favor.

"It's going well; we started looking at places to live together. She says that her mother fainted when she told her the news. Her father threatened to disown her, and she dared him too. He didn't, and she is ecstatic about the move." Hermione looks at him with a smile.

"It's not too soon?"

"We have been together for the last three years; Mum thinks she should have a ring by now." Ron chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. Hermione sits up straighter.

"Did you get her a ring?"

"Shush. Tell the entire department why don't you." He says, looking around at the semi-empty bullpen. He glances back at her, grinning before motioning her to come closer. Hermione stands and walks to his side of the desk. He pulls open one of the drawers, rummaging through it before pulling out a red velvet box. Hermione holds her breath as he opens it and almost cries at the stunning piece of jewelry inside. "Think she will like it?"

Hermione takes the small box from him, holding it closer, admiring the square diamond ring surrounded by smaller diamonds on a silver band. "She is going to love it, Ron."

"I am scared she will say no."

"Then she is a fool," Hermione says, closing the lid and handing it back to him. Her best friend holds the box close to his heart before sighing.

"I am worried, but at the same time, she is willing to live with me and put up with so much; if she can do that, then she might be okay with marrying me."

"Of course, she will, but Ronald, you need to set ground rules with your mother before you ask her. She and Pansy have gotten into it before, and knowing Parkinson, she isn't going to sit back while Molly dictates how your wedding will go."

"I know, and I plan to; I just haven't found the right time to speak to Mum about everything. Plus, if I don't ask Pansy right after talking to Mum, she will find out about the proposal soon. I love my mum, but she can't keep a secret unless her life depends on it." Hermione laughs as Ron shuts the drawer, and Theo walks back towards them.

"Safe to go back, Granger." He says, sitting back down in his chair, cocking an eyebrow at the neat piles of files. "Shit, where did that folder on top go?" Hermione lets out a nervous chuckle before heading back towards her office after a quick goodbye.

"Sorry, Nott."

Hermione's Cottage

Saturday Night

Two Hours Before Malfoy Arrives

"I'm here!" Ginny Potter shouts out, stepping through Hermione's floor, her husband following close behind her. A small sob has the pregnant witch dashing to the main bedroom. Throwing the door open, she snorts as she tries to hold back her laughter. On her floor is Hermione Granger, skinny black jeans on, shirt off, and emerald-green bra on full display. Her hair seemed to be twice the size it was usually, and while her makeup was pretty, she could tell from the beads of sweat that her friend would need some touching up.

"Okay, I am going to wait in the other room. Come on, Crooks," Harry Potter says as he peaks in before immediately turning in the other direction. The old fluffy orange half-kneazle swishes his tail before following the wizard down the hall. Ginny lets out a sigh before shutting the door behind her.

"Hermione, I can't bend down to comfort you, so I need you to sit up and tell me what is happening." Hermione groans, sitting up and crossing her legs, a blush covering her cheeks and ears. She looks at her friend before letting out another small sob.

"My hair won't do what I want it to do, my makeup is melting, I got makeup on my shirt, and this bra makes my boobs look weird and lumpy." Ginny chuckles, waving her wand and opening the window across the room. A slight breeze comes through, cooling the room almost instantly.

"Your hair is like a horse; it will be scared if it knows you are scared. Your room feels like you have been burning firewood in here, so, of course, your makeup is melting off. We can fix that; we are witch's darling. For your shirt, see the last comment, a little magic, and it will be as good as new and your boobs. Honey, you have the most perfect boobs, and that bra does wonders for them. That isn't lumpy; that is lifted, even if you don't need it. My boobs are two different sizes and are leaking; I don't want to hear any comment about that." Hermione sniffles, nodding, feeling foolish for having to drag her best friend out of bed.

"I was already up, so don't fret for asking me here. I know that look, Hermione. I will always be here unless a child falls out from between my legs." The witch laughs as she stands up, straightening out her jeans. Ginny waves her wand over the white and black blouse. Hermione looks at her reflection, groaning as she dabs the sweat off her forehead. She takes the shirt from Ginny and throws it over her hair.

After finishing her outfit, Ginny claps before pushing her towards the lit vanity. The witch whines as she sits; she wears makeup every day, but work makeup and going out makeup are two different things. She was the brightest witch of her age and still had difficulty doing her makeup before going out. If they were going to a pub, she would show up in her work makeup, a light foundation, a rose-pink blush, mascara, and clear lip balm. Instead, society now expects her to be dolled up with a gazillion steps Hermione always messed up on.

"Get out of your head, Granger; we can do this. We have the time." Ginny says, waving her hand and vanishing the leftover makeup from Hermione's attempt. She turns the witch to her and smiles. "You're the first mistake; I don't see moisturizer or primer, Hermione, which is your base before you do anything. I didn't want to lecture you the last time I helped, but that is the only way I will get it through your thick hair." Hermione smiled before laughing slightly. She nods as Ginny opens one of her drawers, grabbing her moisturizer and the primer for another drawer.

"Ginny, what if this was a mistake?" Hermione asks, closing her eyes as her friend works on her face. The younger witch sighs.

"Hermione, love, I dated quite a bit back at Hogwarts, but as you know, my first crush was Harry. The day I saw him in muggle London at the train station, I told myself he would be my husband. Hold still." Ginny says as she puts a brush on her eyelid for her eyeliner. "You told me when you came over that summer after the first year that you liked Malfoy, even if he was mean to you and your friends, that there was something you liked about him. Then, I watched you two over the years, even if you didn't know it."

"That's a bit creepy, Ginny," Hermione says, pulling away a bit before Ginny pulls her head back to her.

"Stop moving; you are going to mess up my masterpiece. As I was saying, you two have been doing this dance since your third year, and Theo confirmed it for me. He has been crushing on you since you punched him in the third year. He was curious about you before that but was locked in once you got him good with that right hook. You told me confidently that even after you saw his dark mark after Harry had to pull a stupid, you still cared for him; that was when I knew. You were in it for the long ride."

"But Ginny…"

"No buts, young lady, you will have dinner with your first love; he will want to worship you at your feet. You will have a blast, come up with your little plan to fool his momma, and who knows, it might become real after a while." Hermione huffs as Ginny adds the final touch before turning her towards the mirror. "Ta-da."

Her breath caught in her throat when she looked at the witch looking back at her. She leans forward, taking in the artistry that was delicately painted over her face. Her eyes were a subtle smoky color, with a touch of gold in the corners of her eyes, her cheeks a peach color, faint but there. The main event was her lips, in a shade of red that she normally strayed from. She smiles at her friend as the witch waves her wand over her hair, bringing the frizzy mess back to its original state.

Using some delicate wand work, Ginny helps smooth the curls while keeping the volume. A small bottom section braids itself before she pins it to her head, wrapping around the base of her skull and coming around to the top. A few loose curls frame her face as Ginny pins the braid headband to her scalp before pulling the rest of her hair into an intricate, messy bun on the top of her head, showing off her neck.

"Don't button your shirt all the way; leave it open, and let's change this up a bit," Ginny says, pointing to Hermione's blouse, which makes the white shirt a bit more see-through. The green of her bra peaks a bit above her black tank top, causing the witch to make a surprised squeak.

"Ginny!"

"What, it's a late-night dinner, got to look as if you didn't just get off work. The jeans work; I need some jewelry and those cute, healed ankle boots Fleur got you last year. Then my work is complete!" Ginny does a little hop before going to her closet. Hermione lets out a nervous chuckle. Standing up, she walked over to the floor mirror, looking at her appearance; she had to admit, Ginny did a damn good job. With her top only buttoned halfway up, the swell of her breasts was somewhat on display, but only enough if the person was close enough to tell. Her neck looked long and slender from the hairstyle, so there wasn't anything she could fight her on. She tugs at the tank top, pulling it up slightly to cover more as Ginny places the shoes at her feet.

"Oh, pregnant woman down," Ginny says, bending over; Hermione chuckles, taking her friend's hand and helping her into the chair in front of the vanity. Ginny squeezes her hand, smiling up at her. "Malfoy isn't going to know what to do when he sees you." A knock on the door interrupts them.

"Hey, Malfoy is here, are you two done?" Harry calls out. Hermione lets out a squeak before taking a deep breath. She walks to the door and opens it. Harry Potter looks at her and whistles.

"If I weren't married." Hermione and Ginny make gagging noises before laughing. Hermione chuckles, sliding her boots on as Harry walks over to help his wife to stand. Ginny grins, handing the witch a pair of earrings with little gold otters dangling from the clasp. With one last look, Hermione turns to head to the front room. Behind her, Ginny and Potter talk in hushed tones as they walk in line, Malfoy coming into view.

The first thing she noticed was his muggle attire. A crisp black button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. From what she could tell, his dark jeans hugged his thighs tightly, and his shoes, leather boots. His hair is usually down and is now styled in a slicked-backed version of how his hair looked in school, but not as shiny or perfect. Pieces of his hair frame the shaved sides, giving him a messy but put-together look. She next noticed how good he smelled, mahogany and teakwood.

Malfoy turns his attention away from her bookcase, and he lets out a small groan as he looks at her up and down. "You look beautiful, Granger."

"Thanks, Malfoy. You're pretty handsome yourself." She says, grabbing her small black clutch from off the side table. Ginny chuckles, picking up the coat she had thrown off when she arrived.

"You kids have fun tonight. Don't keep her out too late, Malfoy. I want details tomorrow." She whispers the last part in Hermione's ear, kissing her friend's cheek. Hermione blushes, nodding. Harry hugs her, telling her to be safe before the Potter's head towards her floo. Once they are gone, the room gets quiet. Malfoy clears his throat before holding out his arm.

"Ready?"

"Let's go," Hermione says, placing a hand on his arm as they head out the door.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place

The next day

Taking a coffee from Harry, Hermione smiles as the smell of coffee fills her nose. Ginny hums in the kitchen as she makes scrambled eggs. Hermione's two nephews run around the room, giggling as they play a game of tag.

"James, Al, stop running and come sit," Harry says as his two boys dash into the other room. His boys, ages five and three, were already close and active. The parents had their hands full, but Ginny said she wouldn't have it any other way. When they first married, everyone expected Harry and Ginny to have children right away, but they were still under the age of twenty, so instead of expanding their family, they traveled for the first three years of their marriage. Harry needed a break from a world of fighting. Hermione grins as her nephews come back into the room and take their seats at the table, James helping Albus into his booster seat. At five, James was far more mature than most children. He took his role as big brother very seriously.

"All right, eggs are ready," Ginny says, placing a bowl on the table and handing Harry a serving spoon as she sits. Harry says a quick thank you before portioning out servings to his kids, his wife, Hermione, and finally himself. "So, how did last night go?" Ginny asks, sipping her tea and rubbing her belly.

"Oh, it was wonderful, Gin. He was a complete gentleman, but we still got into it a few times in a fun way. The food was delicious, and after we ate, we went to this small hole-in-the-wall pub down the street and had a few drinks. At the end of the date, we walked through the park near there before eventually heading back to my place." Hermione says, taking a bite of her toast. Ginny grins, her eyebrows disappearing under her bangs.

"And what happened when you got back to your place?" Harry chuckles as he cuts Albus's waffle—Hermione blushes, pushing her eggs with her fork. While the evening had started well, they agreed to play the part for the next three months, meeting his mother in about a month, and then after the three months were over, they would discuss either continuing with the charade or ending it right then and there. They talked about work, Malfoy's time in the muggle world, art, music, books they were reading, their goals in life, and their families. Hermione laughed and laughed all night; she didn't know Malfoy could be that funny. She knew he was when they were in a group, but she didn't expect how funny he was when it was just them.

"He told me that he had a great night. I said the same, and when I thought he was going to leave, he turned around, pinned me to my front door, and kissed me." Albus lets out an excited squeal, flinging waffles and syrup at Harry, causing the wizard to grunt.

"My thoughts exactly, Al. That is very exciting. What happened after the kiss?" Ginny asks, handing a water towel to Harry. The wizard says a quick thanks before wiping his face. Hermione lets out a sigh, placing her fork down. She covers her face, feeling the warmth of her blush against her hands.

"We kissed, then the next thing I know is, I'm pinned up in the air with my legs wrapped around him, and he starts kissing and biting on my neck." Ginny lets out a squeal as Harry grunts.

"Keep it rated G Hermione; tiny people's ears are listening."

"Oh hush, they don't know what she is talking about," Ginny says, swatting at Harry, silencing him. The wizard shrugs before returning to his food, trying not to listen to his wife and sister-like best friend discuss her heated escapade.

"Well, there isn't much to tell after that. He stops, kisses the spots where he bit me, and places me back down before giving me another kiss and saying goodnight." The redheaded witch sighs, placing her hands under her chin.

"Did he have a sex voice?"

"Sex voice?"

"You know what I mean? When a guy gets so turned on, their voice lowers and cracks, almost like they have been screaming for the past hour, and it's hoarse when they eventually talk. Sex voice." Hermione looks at her, an eyebrow cocked, before laughing slightly.

"Uh, sure, his voice was a bit hoarse and deeper than normal. I did not know it was called sex voice."

"Can you two stop saying sex." The girls laugh as Harry groans, and Albus lets out another excited squeal; this time, the wizard can duck out of the way from the flying waffle bits. He glares at his son before ruffling his hair.

"Dad, what's sex?" James asks, causing Ginny to let out a loud laugh. Hermione giggles into her coffee as Harry groans again.

"Something your daddy hasn't gotten in a while," Ginny says, wiping a tear from her eye. James looks at his mother, confused.

"Is it because he hasn't been a good boy?" Harry bangs his head against the table as Hermione laughs a bit louder.

"Yes, that is exactly why, James," Ginny says as Harry glares at her; Hermione loses it entirely while Albus squeals, dumping the plate of syrup, waffles, and eggs down his front. The room fills with more laughter as Harry stands up, picking up his second son; he starts to leave the room.

"Come on, Al, let's get you clean up and away from these crazy women." Hermione and Ginny cackle as he disappears.

DMLE

One week later

"Granger, I need you to take a look at this." Theo Nott asks, opening the door after a quick knock. He almost drops the case file when he glances at the scene before him. There in the middle of the room is his best friend, pinning Golden Girl Granger to her desk, attacking her throat as she leans back, moaning with her eyes shut. He freezes as the room's two occupants haven't realized they were interrupted. Draco's eyes are open, and he glares at the wizard and silently motions for him to get out. Holding his hands, Theo backs out of the room, closing the door behind him gently.

"Was Hermione in there?" Ron Weasley asks, heading over to him. Theo turns around, holding his back on the door, blocking the redhead from entering.

"No, she must be out running an errand. We can try again later. Come on, Weasley." He says, grabbing his partner by the arm and dragging him away. Weasley grunts and objects as he is pulled away.

"But…"

"Not now, man, come one!" He yells, only feeling safe once they are distant from Granger's door. Though he would only be safe for now, he knew he would be in trouble later once Draco got ahold of him. He chuckles to himself, sitting back in his chair. The other wizard looks at him like he has grown an extra head.

"Did you get checked out after getting blasted by McNeir's hex last week?" The wizard asks, leaning against the side of his desk. Theo nods, still smiling, as he returns to the files. His thoughts are interrupted by a small and delicate hello.

"Hiya Luna," Weasley says to the witch, whom Theo had not seen since their ten-year graduation reunion. With her long golden waves, the petite witch smiles brightly and heads towards them.

"Hello, Theodore." She tells him, causing the wizard to choke on his out spit. Coughing, he takes a sip of water as she looks at him with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you. Please call me Theo. It's nice to see you again, Miss Lovegood."

"You can call me Luna." Theo was calling her other names in his head, the goddess being the main one.

"Right, of course, Luna, what can we help you with?" The witch smiles, sitting down in Weasley's chair with a sigh.

"I have to report a break-in. It seems that someone isn't thrilled with my most recent edition of The Quibbler. When I came home this morning from visiting a friend, all my windows were blown out, and red paint was thrown all over my dirigible plums." She says, picking at her nails. Theo feels his temper flare up as he feels the urge to kill and maim anyone who wants to harm his goddess.

"Okay, do you have anywhere to stay while we investigate, in case the person who did it returns?" Weasley asks, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Lovegood shook her head, and Theo couldn't stop himself then.

"I have an extra room. There are multiple rooms so that you could stay with me." He could feel the blush covering his face, even with his recent tan. 'Fuck you are a twat Nott.' He thinks to himself. Weasley looks at him like he has grown a third head. His goddess smiles at him before reaching across and taking one of his hands with her smaller ones.

"That would be wonderful; thank you so much, Theo." He didn't think she would say yes. His partner chuckles, mumbling something before walking towards the file cabinet, presumably to get a form to start the investigation. "I need to get a few things from my house." She says, still smiling at him.

"I can escort you there and to my house. I will need to add you to the floor lines. After Weasley gets details from you, we can go then."

"That sounds good. Fair warning: I sleep naked and will sometimes sleepwalk if I am stressed." Theo lets out a groan, leaning back as all of his blood travels south.

Outside of Draco's Lab

Two weeks after the date

"What do you think they are doing?" Ron asks as he steps away from the door. Another crash causes the small group that formed to jump back. Harry Potter shrugs his shoulders as Theo Nott and Blaise Zabini give each other a silent look.

"They are probably hate fucking." Pansy Parkinson says as she walks towards them, causing the men to jump again.

"We need to put a bell on your Pans," Zabini says, holding a hand to his chest. Pansy chuckles before grabbing Ron's hand.

"I have a bell at home, but Ron is the only one who can see that." The wizard turns bright red as Zabini and Nott make catcalls. Pansy looks up at her boyfriend with a smug grin while he growls down at her, taking his hand and swatting her lightly on the ass.

"Enough of that; it's bad enough to hear about Hermione and Malfoy at my house. I don't need to see you two pawing at each other at work," Harry says, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want to hear about hearing things at home, Potter; you don't live with Luna Lovegood." Ron chuckles, wrapping around his witch's shoulder.

"You offered your home in the first place."

"Why did no one warn me about her?" Nott asks, leaning against the wall. Zabini joins him, crossing one leg over the other with his hands in his pocket.

"Send her to my place if you can't handle her." The taller wizard growls, turning and grabbing his friend by the collar.

"Just try and take my goddess from me, Zabini." The group chuckles, and everyone in the ministry learns about Theo Nott and Luna Lovegood's 'relationship.' The witch, being more open and comfortable about her sex life, told an almost entire bullpen of Aurors and criminals about the first day she moved into Theo's home. The minute they stepped through the floor, she tackled him to the floor and rode him like a hippogriff before they christened his house for hours on end. Theo received multiple gift baskets from Aurors and civilians alike. Since that day, the two of them have been caught in different departments of the Ministry, to the point where the Minister himself had to issue a cease-and-desist order, barring Luna from the Ministry unless there was an emergency, and Theo was on probation.

"Calm down, man; I'm just joking with you." Pansy lets out a chuckle as the door of Draco's lab opens. The group goes silent as Hermione Granger says a quick hello before passing them, her hair twice its standard size and her face a bright red shade. Draco Malfoy steps out; his hair is just as messy as Harry's, and he is sporting a huge grin.

"What's going on?" He asks, his voice hoarse. Harry groans while the rest of the group laughs; Malfoy grins sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.

Draco's Apartment

Four weeks after the date

"Draco, it has been a month since our last visit. I know that work has been keeping you busy, but I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain. I heard about your current relationship with Miss. Granger, with the last time being in our home not being pleasant and with my health, I have a proposition for you. How does tea in the gardens sound? Sunday's weather looks promising, with no cold or hot rain. Please discuss this with Miss. Granger and send a reply posthaste. I look forward to seeing you both this weekend. Love Mother." Granger places the letter down on the bed, her chest rising and falling as her heartbeat speeds up. Draco nuzzles her neck, kissing her softly, whispering words of encouragement under his breath.

"If you aren't ready to meet her yet, I can ask her to give us more time." He says, pushing the cover down and running his hand down the length of her arm, his fingers grazing the side of her breast. She moans, cuddling closer to him while taking a deep breath.

"It's not that I am excited to see your mother again; I just don't know how I feel about going to the manor. You promise that I won't have to go inside?" Draco looks down at the naked witch in his arms. Her hair was messy, and love bite marks covered her neck and chest. Nodding, he holds her closer, combining their body heat.

"You will not have to go inside, but Granger, we tore out that room. I completely redid it; the room from our past is no longer there. In its place is a library filled with muggle books, educational and fiction. I always sent books to Mother when I was in the muggle world; she has always gotten quite upset with muggle authors and requests books." Granger chuckles, smiling at the man she never expected to end up in her heart.

"Maybe you can show me one day, but I think it's too soon. Tell your mother I would love to join her for tea in the gardens." She says before placing her head on his chest. They lay in silence, listening to the world around them, the nocturnal animals outside chirping and screeching as the wind rages on. Draco listens even closer as he listens to his girlfriend's heartbeat.

After the date and spending most of their time together, they realized that a fake relationship wasn't for them. Draco was the first to say something, bringing up his feelings from Hogwarts, and after some arguing and a tearful encounter, they slept together for the first time. This opened the floodgates of their physical relationship. Anywhere and everywhere, they found themselves unable to keep their hands off of each other. The recent place was Draco's lab, and much to Granger's embarrassment, they had forgotten to silence the room beforehand. When she stepped out of the room and came face to face with her friends, she was mortified to the point where she messed up a simple training exercise, sending a young recruit to St. Mungo's. No one mentioned it afterward, but that didn't stop the rumor mill from running rapidly through the Ministry. The day she picked up the Daily Prophet and saw a story about her and Draco on the front page, she almost burnt down the entire DMLE.

Knowing the full extent of their relationship, their friends were happy for them as long as the physical aspect of their relationship didn't affect work. With her temper flared Granger mentioned that she had to set up wards in Harry's office on multiple occasions since he and Ginny returned to England. Draco mentioned catching Theo and Lovegood in compromising positions almost daily for an entire week, just around this lab alone. Everyone agreed and decided to go about their business, but it became well known that if you had to speak to Draco or Granger, sending a note first would be in the person's best interest rather than barging into their offices.

"Do you think your mother is going to accept me?" Draco sits up, gripping Granger's chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Of course she will; why do you think otherwise?"

"Because I am a muggleborn."

"Don't even worry about that. Mother loves you; she has seen my feelings for you since childhood. The day in the ballroom, she almost had to stun me to keep me from trying to rescue you." Hermione lets out a small chuckle while a tear falls from her eye. Draco kisses her temple, bringing the witch even closer to him. She let out a sigh before looking up at him again.

"You're poking me."

"Not my fault; that is all you, witch," Draco growls, pushing her down into his pillows as he latches onto her neck again. She giggles before moaning as he pushes her legs open to him. The sounds of her moans and sweet whispers filled the room as Draco showed his love to his witch, to burn it into her brain that no matter what, he was her, as she was his.

Outside Malfoy Manor

After tea

"I told you; she loves you," Malfoy says, wrapping an arm around the short witch. Hermione smiles brightly at him as they walk further away from the Malfoy matriarch. Tea with Narcissa Malfoy went better than Hermione could have imagined. Even with her health, the woman was elegant, kind, and full of spirit. She could tell that Malfoy and his mother had an extraordinary relationship with each other. Watching the two interact made introducing Draco to her parents much more accessible.

"When are we going to your parents' house?" Malfoy asks, kissing her head as they reach the apparition point. Hermione giggles and pulls away from him. He looks at her, confused.

"I have to ask when a good time would be. They travel often, so we must ensure they will be home before we pop over there." Hermione smirks steps past the apparition point and heads down the small path to the barns. Malfoy looks at her back, confused, but then smirks.

"Where are you going, my love?"

"I want to see where you played as a child, and maybe we can take a break before heading back to my place," Hermione says, turning towards him and winking. She takes off in a sprint, causing Malfoy to chuckle lowly.

"You better pray I don't catch your kitten."

Narcissa Malfoy smiles as she places her teacup down on the small plate. "Winny."

"Yes, mistress?" Winny pops in front of her, curtsying with her purple sun dress. The witch smiles before holding out her hand. The elf takes it, helping her mistress stand.

"I think I will nap; see to it that your Master and future mistress are not bothered." Winny turns a pink tint before holding Mrs. Malfoy's hand, helping her inside. She would have to tell the other elves in the kitchen not to disturb the master and his mate. Hopefully, Winny will soon have babies to take care of.

Hermione pants as her back hits the inside of the barn, her legs wrapped around her lover's muscular waist as he pounds into her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she feels her core tighten as it comes close to her edge. Malfoy bites her neck, pushing her shirt up and exposing her breasts to the cool air. Her nipples pebble as he takes ahold of one, massaging it roughly.

"Ah, Draco, ah fuck, yes, please."

"Are you coming, kitten?" He asks, slamming into her with more vigor. Hermione whines, letting out a scream as her orgasm rips through her. Malfoy pulls out, holding her as she jerks her hips, and her legs shake. Liquid sprays out from her opening, soaking his front. He smirks, rubbing his hand over her swollen clit.

"Ah fuck!" She yells out as she squirts again. When the trembles slow, Malfoy places her down gently before turning her around, putting her hands against the barn wall.

"Hold on, love, I am not done with you yet." He gives a quick warning before bending her down, sliding his cock between her slick folds. She lets out a hiss, arching her back as he grabs her hair and pulls. Hermione pushes her hips back, completely enveloping him with her sex. The sounds of their hips meeting and her moans fill the barn as he picks up speed. With the choruses of yes, oh yes, Draco, yes right there, and oh fuck, Malfoy gets an idea.

Bringing his index finger to his mouth, he wets it while slowing his strokes; as Hermione goes to whine, he places the pad against her other entrance, pushing against the opening gently. Hermione's eyes opened wide as he pushed the digit slowly into her ass while rolling his hips, going deeper into her.

"Oh yes, oh fuck." Hermione moans as his finger starts to pump into her without as much resistance. He smirks before adding another finger, causing her to twitch around his cock. "Draco, please, give it to me." Hermione whispers as he fingers her asshole, scissoring her once his fingers go all the way in.

"Think you can take one more?" He asks, biting the side of her neck while pulling his cock out and rubbing it against her opening. She whimpers, nods, and mewls as he slides in a third finger. Her ass stretches gloriously, and now feeling full, Hermione's eyes roll back as her legs shake. Malfoy slows down and takes his time with her pumping her ass with his fingers.

"I want the first time in your ass to be against my bed. What do you say, Granger? Do you think you can handle disapparating with my fingers inside you?" Hermione nods and squeezes her eyes shut as they travel through the air and land against his bed. The smells of his room fill her nose as he pumps his fingers in and out of her, giving her no time to think. She lets out a scream as he slides his cock back between her folds. He was relentless as he pumped his fingers in and out of her puckered entrance. Her tongue hangs out of her mouth as he pulls them all the way out before hooking a finger on either side of her entrance and pulling it open.

"Ah, don't look inside of me," Hermione says as she turns her face to glance up at him. He growls, releasing his hold of her before grabbing her hips and raising them to meet his. Holding her face down, she arches deeply as he says a nonverbal spell; an incredible feeling hits her hole, causing her body to shiver.

"I will look wherever I want a kitten. I would hold on to something if I were you. Keep your ass up and your face down, yes, just like that." He says, slapping her ass, leaving a red handprint in its place. Hermione nods, biting down on his pillow as she feels the thick head of his cock touching her entrance. Her pussy throbs as he starts to enter slowly, slick with lube and her juices; he slides right in, causing both of them to groan. A burning sensation hits Hermione as he rocks his hips back and forth slowly, pushing in deeper with each thrust. She feels his hands massaging her ass cheeks, spreading them as he pushes more and more inside of her.

Once his hips meet hers and he is fully seated inside her, he reaches down, gripping her hair and pulling her head back. Full of his cock and dripping from her empty entrance Hermione groans as he pushes deeper as pulls her closer to him. He bites her ear, moving his hips in a circle pattern, stretching her more before he whispers,

"You look so pretty; your ass feels incredible love. It is so tight and wet. I found my new favorite place." He pulls out about halfway, slowly, causing Hermione to moan loudly; he kisses her neck before slamming back into her, ripping a scream from his witch. She grabs onto his neck, her back arches as he fucks her like a madman. Tears form in her eyes as he brings a hand to her neck, wrapping it around and squeezing. She makes some incoherent noises as his hips slap against hers. Her body trembles as she feels another orgasm building.

"I can feel you tightening, kitten. Are you going to cum? Huh, are you going to cum from me fucking your ass, give it to me, fuck, you are so good, such a good girl Granger, fucking cum for me?" He says, releasing her neck, reaching down between her legs, and rubbing her clit roughly in a circular motion. Hermione screams as the dam inside her breaks, squirting all over Malfoy's bed. She trembles and moans as he huffs, pumping in and out of her a few more times before he placings two fingers inside her pussy. "Give me one more, cum with my kitten."

Hermione shakes her head, almost spent and sensitive to the touch. He whispers a quick encouragement before she finally nods. He fingers her as his hips slam into her from behind; her coil tightens again as Malfoy becomes more vocal, and once she feels his teeth against her shoulder, she lets out another scream. He yanks his fingers out of her and rubs her as she squirts, coming harder once again as he slams one more time into her before biting down, breaking the skin as he pumps her ass full of his cum. He stays there momentarily before pulling out of her, causing Hermione to hiss. She could feel the thick cum dripping out from between her cheeks. They fall to the bed, thankfully to the area not wholly soaked from Hermione's juices.

"Well, I wasn't planning on doing that today." Malfoy laughs, bringing her close, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her softly. Hermione smiles, and even though her ass throbbed in pain, she presses against him. He rubs the side of her arms before turning her to lie on her stomach. "Thank you for trusting me enough to let me do that. Now let me take care of you."

He places a kiss on her temple before getting off the bed. Her breathing slows as she listens to him rummaging through the bathroom, and she looks up as she hears the faucet turn on. He walks back into the room, his dick semi-hard and swinging between his legs. She wasn't sure he would fit when she saw him in all his glory. He looked at her with pride when she mentioned that her previous partners were not as well-endowed as him.

She shivers as he places the cold washcloth between her legs, wiping away their combined fluids. He whispers sweet nothings to her as he gives her aftercare, massaging her cheeks gently and rubbing small soothing circles on her back. Her eyes felt heavy as he kissed her neck and crawled back into bed. He pulls a throw blanket over them, cuddling up to her while rubbing her arms. Hermione's last thought before drifting off to sleep was that she was falling for him, which scared her, but she was ready to see their next step. She didn't know that she said her last thought aloud, and Draco Malfoy, his heart full of love and with the biggest grin, imagined the witch next to him round with his heir. Shaking that thought out of his head, he chuckled, kissing her forehead again before sleep came for him.

DMLE

Two months into the relationship

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, RON!" Hermione runs up to the bullpen, her magic sparking around her. Ron Weasley looks up at her in surprise as the witch comes to a quick stop at his desk.

"Where's the fire, Granger?" Nott asks, chuckling while scribbling away on his parchment. Hermione shakes her head and takes a deep breath.

"Ginny's water broke. Harry is rushing her to St. Mungo's now." The room goes silent before Ron stands up abruptly, knocking his desk and a pile of files to the ground.

"It's time! It's time! I'm going to be an uncle." He says, grabbing his robes from behind his chair and putting them on backward. Nott grumbles as he picks up the ruined parchment, now soaked with ink.

"You are already, uncle. Calm down, mate." He says, crumbling the parchment and tossing it in the waste basket. Hermione chuckles before helping her friend put on his robe correctly.

"Shut up, Nott. Is she okay?" he asks as he and Hermione rush to the floor.

"Harry just said to hurry; he didn't say anything else." Ron pales as they push past the line, Hermione saying a quick sorry as they rush through.

Stepping into St. Mungo's, the smell of antiseptic and potions fills her senses, and she ushers the youngest Weasley son to the birthing ward. A group of redheads come into view as they approach Ginny's room.

"Oh, Ron, good you are here." Molly Weasley says, taking her son's hand into hers. Arthur Weasley grins, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder before squeezing it gently.

"Hermione, my girl, Ginny is asking for you." Hermione nods, walking around the group of Weasley brothers and heading into the room. Inside, it is different from the other times Ginny gave birth. The witch looked pale, writhing in pain. She let out a sob once she saw her friend. Harry, looking as if he is about to be sick, walks over to Hermione, wrapping her in his arms. Worried, she looks at the wizard and her friend in the hospital bed.

"What's wrong?" Harry sniffles, pulling away from her and wiping a tear from his eye. Hermione's heart drops as she looks at the silent conversation between the husband and wife.

"They don't think she is going to make it. They are doing everything they can, but our little girl's heart isn't doing well." Harry says, shaking before falling into the chair beside Ginny's bed. The young witch lets out a sob, cradling her stomach. Hermione walks over to her friend, leaning down and wrapping Ginny into her arms. Kissing her temple, she takes a deep breath.

"What do you need, Ginny?" Ginny shakes in her arms.

"I need my mum. We haven't told them yet. The Healers want to take me into surgery to see if they can get her out with a cesarean. I'm scared, Hermione." Hermione nods, kissing her friend's forehead one more before pulling away. She wipes the tears from her eyes before heading to the door. Ginny lets out another sob as she opens it; leaning out of the room, she looks for the Weasley matriarch.

"Molly, um, Ginny needs you." The entire Weasley clan turns and looks at her at the sound of the crack in her voice.

"What's going on?" Ron asks, towering over, trying to push his way in.

"Not now, Ron, Molly, please." She asks, pushing her friend back as the older witch enters the room. Ron frowns, looking at her, and looks towards the door with worry.

"You should prepare yourselves. It isn't good." Hermione chokes out as more tears fall from her eyes. Ron trembles before stumbling back and falling onto the bench. The sound of running feet causes Hermione to look up as a figure runs past her. Pansy Parkinson throws her arms around the wizard and squeezes. He lets out a cry as he cradles his fiancé. A few weeks before today, he finally got the courage to ask for her hand, and of course, she accepted. The family rejoiced and celebrated for days on end for the last Weasley child becoming engaged.

"How is she?" Draco Malfoy asks as he walks over to her. Theo Nott is trailing behind him, and Hermione sniffles before placing her head against his chest.

"The baby might not make it. They are talking about doing a cesarean to help with her chances." Draco rubs her back before turning towards the head of the Weasley clan.

"Do not let them take her back before I return," he says, quickly kissing Hermione and turning away. He leaves hurriedly, and Hermione can only watch in shock as his figure disappears. Nott places his hand in hers, gripping it tightly.

"When Draco was in the muggle world, part of his training was in muggle surgery. He will probably demand that he be there for the surgery if the Healer doesn't know what to do after they open her. He told me about the process and did many during his residency."

Her heartbeat against her chest as her love for him grew, and once he returned with the head Healer, dressed in Healer robes, she fully understood the gravity of the situation. She watches as he enters the room, the door shutting with a click. Hermione sits beside Ron and waits, listening to the silence around her. Harry and Molly stand off the side when the door opens as Ginny is wheeled out. She lets out a sob, seeing her brothers out in the hallway. They each say words of encouragement as they push her bed towards the surgical wing, Draco following closely behind. He pauses before her, leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead.

"I have been given privileges. Ginny and Harry agreed to let me be in the room to assist with the surgery. The baby is in distress, so they are taking her back now. I'll see you in a few." Hermione nods as the Weasley men say a quick thanks, and Draco heads after her friend.

Harry Potter lets out a sob, falling to his knees and wailing. Hermione never wanted to hear from her friend again. The only thing she could do was be there for him, no matter the outcome. She walks over to him, kneeling and rubbing his back, secretly placing a hand over her stomach, tears filling her eyes.

St. Mungo's

2 hours later

Hermione smiles as she watches from a distance as the Weasleys fill the room, cooing over the new addition to their family. Lily Luna Potter was born on August 31st at 5:48 in the afternoon. She came into the world, giving her parents a scare. Draco told her that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, but they were able to remove it, and there were no lingering problems. The minute the family heard the news, there were cries of relief, and Harry was rushed to his wife's side.

Draco hugs her from behind, kissing her forehead as Hermione leans into him. He sighs as each family member takes a turn holding the little girl.

"Thank you." Draco smiles, kissing her again before shaking his head.

"No need to thank me. I was doing what was right." Hermione feels tears forming in her eyes again. She wasn't sure when she should tell him about her news; it felt like it was too fast and too soon, but in her heart, she knew he would be ecstatic.

"Come say hello to your goddaughter, Hermione," Harry says as the Weasleys part like the Red Sea. Hermione lets out a sob, walking over and taking the small bundle from his arms. Draco lets a genuine smile form as the thought of little blonde curly head children fills his mind.

"She's going to be a great mom." His friend says beside him. Draco looks at him with a blush creeping up his neck.

"What do you know?" Theo laughs, holding his hands up.

"Calm down, I was just making a statement. On that note, what do you know?" He asks, wiggling his eyebrows. Draco elbows him before returning his attention to his witch as she smiles at the little girl.

"She's it for me, man; I am going to marry her one day," Draco says under his breath. Theo chuckles beside him before placing a hand on his shoulder as Pansy walks into the room with coffee.

"Hand over the baby, and no one gets hurt." She says, placing the coffee down on the table by the door. Everyone laughs as Hermione passes Lily to her aunt. Glancing over at Draco, Hermione smiles, kissing him before returning to the baby in Pansy's arms.

"That is the mother of my future children."

"Okay, you need to pull back."

"Not going to happen."

Hermione's Cottage

A week later

"Honey, I'm home!" Draco calls out, stepping out of her floo. Silence welcomes him as he looks around before a meow interrupts his thoughts. Bending down, he scratches his new friend under the chin, making kissing noises at the creature. "Hey buddy, where's your mom?"

"Babe?" He calls out again, removing his robes and placing them on the back of her couch. A sound coming from the bathroom stops him mid-step. He rushes as his witch heaves again, Emptying her stomach into her toilet. He pushes into the bathroom as she coughs and groans. He takes her hair, pulling it gently away from her face. "You're okay, let it out."

Hermione groans before lifting her hand and flashing him her middle finger. He chuckles as he sits beside her; Crookshanks lies down in the hallway, making small sounds to let his owner know he is there, too. Hermione starts to gag again as another wave of nausea hits her.

"I didn't know you were sick." He says, rubbing her back as she spits into the toilet.

"I'm not sick."

"Uh, the vomiting would suggest otherwise."

"What other reason would I be throwing up, Malfoy, if I wasn't sick?" She asks, turning towards him and glaring at him. "Think because this is all your fault." Draco looks at her with a cocked eyebrow before there is a moment of realization.

"Oh shit…"

"Yeah, oh shit." She says before turning back to the bowl and gagging again. Draco, while he wants to jump up and down at the idea of being a father, stops himself when he thinks about his mother.

"Oh, fuck, Mother is going to neuter me."

"Tell her to get in line." Draco winces as his witch, the mother of his child, lets out another groan before dry heaving.

Malfoy Manor

The next day

"Well, Mother, how do you feel about the autumn wedding." Narcissa Malfoy drops her teacup while Helen Granger coughs, some of her tea coming out of her mouth. The two women look at the man and woman sitting across from them. Before that day, with Hermione's blessing, Narcissa reached out to her mother to arrange tea. The two women immediately hit it off, and their tea dates became weekly. It was suitable for his mother, having a friend coming around to chat with her. After a few visits, Draco noticed her strength returning to the point where she could get around without help and venture off the property. After meeting Helen, the older witch surprised everyone by reaching out to her older sister and inviting her over to mend their bond.

"What is he talking about, Hermione?" Helen asks, taking her daughter's hand and looking for a ring. Hermione chuckles nervously before waving her hand and dropping the illusion on her ring finger. Narcissa and Helen let out identical squeals as they took turns looking at the jewel nestled in her hand.

"Draco, I am so happy, but isn't winter too soon?"

"Well, Mother, Hermione wants to be able to fit into her dress, so we figured autumn would be enough time before she starts showing." There is complete silence before both women jump to their feet.

"You're pregnant?" Helen says, tears forming in her eyes as she hugs her daughter. Hermione smiles, nodding and placing a hand protectively over her stomach. Mrs. Malfoy walks to the other side of her, wrapping her arms around the witch and pulling her close.

"Oh, my dear girl, thank you." She says as a sob escapes her lips. Hermione looks at Draco with concern. Draco runs a hand through his hair. He needed to work on his nervous habit. Before he could say anything, his mother turned to him, glaring at him while holding Hermione in a hug.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, did you not use protection?"

"There it is."

"Don't sass me, boy; I am thrilled to be a grandmother, but don't think you will get a lecture about going through the proper steps for one second. I raised you better than that." She says as she nuzzles Hermione. The younger witch lets out a nervous chuckle as she hugs her mother-in-law back. Draco rolls his eyes as Helen Granger approaches him, pulling him into a hug. He laughs before wrapping his arms around her, picking her up, and twirling her around. The woman lets out a surprised squeal as her feet hit the ground.

"Welcome to the family, son," she grins at him. Draco's heart swells as he looks at the carbon copy of his future wife. "Don't worry about her father. I will talk to him and promise that he will be on his best behavior when you come to the house."

"Mum…"

"Well, honey, Draco didn't ask for your hand; he got you pregnant before marriage. Your father is old-school; he isn't happy with this at first. He will come around eventually because he loves you, and you are his little girl, but that is also why he is not going to be pleased with any of us." Draco feels as if his heart dropped to his stomach. He hasn't even met the man yet, and now he is taking his little girl from him because he was careless and got his princess pregnant out of wedlock. He could feel the sweat forming on his forehead, and from the look of the three women around him, he must look how he felt at that very moment.

"You are scaring him," Hermione says, touching his hand. Nausea hits him, causing him to drop her hand and run toward the nearest bathroom.

"Everything will be just fine," Helen says as she sits down, holding Narcissa's hand, and looks at where Draco stands with concern.

Granger's Home

The following week

Draco stood with his hand by his side as the sounds from the grandfather clock in Hermione's house filled his ears. Doctor Richard Granger sits in a leather chair, rocking back and forth with a permanent scowl. Sweat forms on Draco's forehead as he glances around at the Knick knacks and unmoving pictures that fill every inch of the room. Dr. Granger clears his throat, causing Draco to return his attention to him. Hermione and her mother were in the kitchen, cooking dinner for the four of them. However, Draco wasn't sure if he would be allowed to eat.

"My Hermione tells me you work in her department." He says, his deep voice intimidating Draco to no end. While Hermione and her mother were on the more petite side, her father was a whole different story. He is bulkier than Draco, only slightly shorter than him, with a thick mustache and piercing blue eyes. Draco decided that after he met his future father-in-law, the man who would be a grandparent to his unborn child, he would never be more afraid for his life, counting when the Dark Lord lived in his home.

"Yes, sir, but I am not an Auror."

"What a shame; well then, what do you do?" Draco swallows, wiping his hands on the side of his pants.

"I am a forensic investigator; I go to the scene afterward to examine any bodies or areas where clues could be for the Aurors. I helped paint a picture of what happened and eventually helped find out who committed the crime. I specialize in forensic anthropology and am a licensed surgeon in the muggle world." Draco notices Dr. Granger's hands tightening into fists.

"Well, aren't you special?" He says roughly, picking up a book from the table by his chair. Draco chuckles nervously, hoping and praying that Granger will come back soon. Her mother had reached out to them after she broke the news to Dr. Granger; he wasn't pleased with them. When they came to her home, the man wouldn't say a single word to him and flat out refused to shake his hand. Draco wasn't optimistic about the future relationship with the man.

"Hermione mentioned that you were a dentist. What was that like?" The man huffs, rolling his eyes, and never puts down his book.

"I was an Orthodontist; I am currently retired." He says, flipping a page in the book. Hermione comes around the corner from out of the kitchen and makes an annoyed noise.

"Draco, you can sit down. Daddy, put the book down." His witch says, placing two glasses of iced tea before them. Draco shakes his head, silently pleading with her eyes not to anger her father more.

"I have no reason to put it down, and I never told the boy he couldn't sit." Draco cringes at the word boy, having Voldemort flashbacks. Sensing his fear, Hermione grabs his hand, pulling him to sit by her on the couch. Dr. Granger growls, turning the page roughly before snapping the book shut. He leans forward, cradling his chin with his hands, before looking at Draco.

"Let's get one thing straight: I disapprove of this marriage; I will be there to walk Hermione down the aisle and give her away as a show. You do not have my permission to marry her, and if she weren't pregnant, I would put a stop to this charade altogether; you are not worthy of her, and you never will in my eyes." Draco feels his eyes narrow as Hermione squeezes his hand. Before he can even open his mouth, Hermione's magic shoots out and shatters the glass cups before them. The two men look at her with shock and concern. Draco rubs her arm, trying to calm her down.

"If you disapprove of this marriage, father, don't bother coming. I am getting married to Draco and I am having his child. We do not need your permission and will be happy without you." She says in a tone that Draco has never heard from her. She lets go of Draco's hand, stands up, and storms out of the room as her mother heads toward them. The older woman looks at the daughter before looking at her husband.

"What did you do?" She asks in a sweet and menacing voice. Dr. Granger clears his throat again before picking up the broken glass. Draco rolls his eyes before waving his hand over the mess, vanishing it away. The man looks at him with surprise.

"Let me get one thing straight with you, Dr. Granger. I apologize for not coming to you before proposing to Hermione; that is my fault. I am ignorant of your traditions. You are Hermione's father, and I have nothing but respect for you. However, that being said, let me be the first to say this: what you just said to your daughter was uncalled for. She is your child, for Merlin's sake. I could feel her heart breaking for her. If you are going to act this way, I will ask that you not come around and cause her more pain while she is in her current state." The man crosses his arms, leaning back in his chair. He goes to say something before Draco waves his hand, magic rippling across his fingers, cutting him off.

"I'm not done. Please don't make me silence you, muggle. I am holding all of my anger back because you are Hermione's father, and that is the only reason I haven't hexed you to an inch of your life. I'm sure you heard about the war and the side your daughter fought against. While I was technically on that side, I personally never harmed anyone before, but I know things that would make your skin crawl and your blood run cold. So, if you so much as breath a syllable before I am done talking, I will use my knowledge against you." Draco says, hoping that Potter understands when he explains the spike of magical levels in the muggle world later. Helen stands quietly as Richard Granger looks small for the first time since Draco entered their home.

"I love your daughter; I have since I was thirteen. No one, and I mean no one, will keep me from her. You can sit here with your books and muggle shit all you want, but the moment you try to separate us, I will see to it that she never comes back here. Do I make myself clear?" He growls out lowly, far away at Azkaban, and his father is getting a chill down his spine from being channeled by his son. Helen lets out a small sob, holding her heart while sitting in a small chair across them. Draco stands, bowing his head and saying a quick sorry before heading in the direction where his witch went.

"Hermione?" He calls out, passing pictures on the walls before coming to a light purple door with the letters H.J.G across the middle. A small sob reaches his ears as he opens her door. Laying on her bed, Hermione's face is buried in her pillows, her shoulders shaking as she cries. Frowning, he steps in, closing the door behind him. He kneels on the floor by the bed, whispering to her while rubbing her back. Draco stays by her side as she cries and doesn't move until she is silent. Standing up, he hops over her, landing on the other side of the bed against the wall, the break squeaking under the added weight. Hermione lets out a small laugh as her body bounces slightly before looking at him. He kisses her forehead before wrapping his arms around her. She places her head against his chest and takes a deep breath.

"What did you say after I left the room?" She asks, her voice getting caught in her throat. Draco chuckles nervously.

"Well, I threatened to hex him, called him a muggle, and said that if he tried to keep us apart, I would see that you never returned to them. I need to apologize to your mother; I scared her." Hermione sits up, looking at him before laughing. Draco lets out another nervous chuckle.

"He might respect you more now." The wizard gives her a look, to which she shrugs. "Mum said he thought you were a pussy for not coming to him man to man to ask for my hand, so you standing up for me and threatening him means you are one step closer to getting his respect."

"Well, he can keep his respect if he tries talking like that again. I am sorry, love." Draco says, kissing her temple and pulling her closer to him. Hermione giggles, wiping the tears from her eyes as the doorbell rings out. Draco groans as his witch pulls away, peaking through the curtain covering her window.

"Why is Harry here?" Draco laughs before sitting up.

"I'll handle this." He says, walking to the door as Hermione lets out another laugh as she follows him.

They head to the front room, Draco nodding at Potter as he gets closer to him. Hermione peaks around the corner, her eyes still red from crying as Draco holds his hands together in front of Potter.

"Sorry, man, I used magic in the presence of two muggles and threatened to hex one of them." Harry looks at him with a frown before looking over at Hermione.

"Uh, anyone want to explain further before I break out the cuffs?" Helen gasps, looking at her equally shocked husband—Hermione steps into the room with a sigh.

"Draco was defending me, Harry; my dad said a very hurtful thing, and tempers got out of control. I'm sure you, of all people, could understand." She says, giving Harry a look. The wizard coughs before nodding. He looks to the Grangers,

"It's good to see you both again. Let me say this: Draco Malfoy is probably the only man in both worlds who can keep up with Hermione. They are good together, and even though things are moving quickly, give them a chance. That being said, my apologies on behalf of the wizarding world; if you want to press charges, now would be the time to let me know." Harry runs a hand through his hair nervously as Dr. Granger clears his throat.

"That won't be necessary, thank you, though," Helen says, gripping her husband's arm, causing the man to let out a slight noise of annoyance. Harry nods, saying a quick goodbye before leaving the house. Hermione lets out the breath she was holding, wrapping her arms around Draco. The wizard places a hand over hers, kissing her face.

"I am not going to apologize for what I said, Richard. I apologize to you, Helen; I am sorry I scared you. I wouldn't say I like that side of myself, and I regret that you had to see that. I would not be able to keep Hermione from coming home to you, but I will try my hardest if you ever hurt her again." Draco says, looking at her parents before glaring at her father. Hermione pinches him, giving him a look not to push his luck.

"I don't want to hurt her ever again, so you won't have to worry about that, son. I apologize." The man says, turning away from them and heading to another part of the house. Hermione shakes her head, and her mouth chuckles.

"He is going to his office," Hermione explains after Draco gives her a confused look.

"Ah, my father used to do the same thing." The witch in his arms laughs.

DMLE

A few days later

"I heard what happened through Weasley. Did you call Granger's parents muggles and threaten to Avada them?" Theo says, plopping down in a chair across from Draco. The wizard sighs, looking at his friend over his glasses.

"I threaten to hex him, not Avada. Weasley needs to get his facts straight." He looks down at the report, nodding to himself before signing off on it. Waving his hand, the materials were neatly arranged in the folder before disappearing from his desk. His work was done for the day. Theo chuckles, stretching his arms out.

"Well, I'm glad you still have a job. That could have ended pretty badly, Draco."

"Yeah, I know, but Theo, you didn't hear what he said to her. I wanted to throw an Avada at him, but Hermione would never forgive me."

"How is our mother to be?" Draco chuckles; he is sure that Theo has a death wish if he ever uses that nickname around his witch.

"She's fine. She's still getting sick in the mornings, but not as bad as before. She's more worried about being forced to step back from the department." Draco says, reaching down, opening a drawer, and pulling out a bottle of whiskey with two glasses. Theo makes an excited sound as he turns the top, breaking the seal. Before he and Hermione left her parents' house, her father appeared holding a bottle of whiskey from his office. He gives it to Draco, shakes his hand, nods, and kisses his daughter before returning to his office. Hermione told him that was a good sign and that he respected Draco more now. He would eventually reach out to them with a letter explaining his feelings, promising never to anger them again.

Pouring each of them a drink, Draco sighs, passing a glass to his friend. They both take a sip, making similar faces before drinking more. There was something about muggle liquor that hit the spot. Theo throws his back before motioning for another. Draco laughs, pouring him a bit more.

"How is Lovegood?" Theo chuckles, swirling the drink in his glass.

"She is still at my house. I'm not complaining; it's been good. She said she feels safe with me, and the elves adore her. They love having her around." Draco nods, thinking of his mother's elves sneaking into Hermione's cottage and straightening up while she is at work. After finding out about the pregnancy and the engagement and telling the parents, they decided that Draco's apartment was too small for a family, so slowly but surely, they moved all of Draco's things into her home. Living together has been an adjustment, but he couldn't think of a better life than living with her.

"Have you made it official?"

"Not yet." Draco laughs, pouring himself another drink before kicking his friend out of his office so that he could head home to his witch. Theo protested but left, glass in hand, shooting the bird as it shuts behind him.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place

At that same time

"Wow."

"I know."

"Holy fuck."

"I know Ginny."

"Seriously, if I wasn't a mother of three, married, and you weren't pregnant and about to marry him, I'd ride him like a broom."

"Charming." Hermione laughs, sipping her tea as Ginny rocks Lily in her arms, the little girl now a little over a month old. She was a carbon copy of her mother, her thick dark red hair, the bright blue eyes, and the freckles already covering her skin. The boys adored her and fought over who was the best big brother. Hermione left work to catch up with her friend and explain that Draco did not threaten to 'Avada' her father, just a hex. She needed to converse with Ron about ensuring his facts were straight before spreading information.

"Well, good for him; I can't believe your dad said all that to you," Ginny says, gently kissing her daughter's head before placing her in the bassinet, waving her wand over it from side to side. Hermione nods, a blush forming on her ears. The other witch grins, looking at the red tint peaking out of her hair.

"If you weren't at your parents' house, you would have rode him like a dragon; tell me I'm wrong." Hermione laughs softly, taking a sip of her drink. "Minx."

"I almost did if Harry didn't ring the doorbell." Ginny curses her husband, causing the wizard back at the DMLE to sneeze as he locks his office door.

"Probably for the best, having sex in your childhood home is weird."

"Do you speak from experience?"

"God no, more like the gardens by the back of the house under a blanket of stars." Hermione gives her a look, and Ginny shrugs. "Nine out of ten times, one of my brothers was always home before Harry and I got married; there was no way we would have been able to bump uglies with them around. The garden romp only happened because they were all passed out drunk from watching Quidditch all day." Ginny finishes her tea before standing up. She stretches before she looks down at her shirt with a frown. "Fuck."

"What?"

"I leaked, probably from hearing about Malfoy defending your honor." She says, wiggling her eyebrows while pulling her damp shirt away from her breasts. "Look, this is your future. Leaky and uneven boobs welcome to the club, we had t-shirts, but unfortunately, they have permanent milk stains on them."

Hermione laughs again, covering her mouth and glancing down at her goddaughter. Thankfully, the little girl seemed to be able to sleep through anything. Ginny shakes her head before heading towards the kitchen, leaving the other witch to her thoughts.

Holding a hand to her belly, she wonders about the sex of her child. Knowing Malfoy's history, the baby was most likely to be a boy, and the firstborns always are. She imagines what the child would look like: would he have her hair, hopefully not, and would his eyes be the same color as Draco's? Her eyes fill with tears as she thinks about the little person growing inside her and whether she will be a good mum. As the tears start to fall, Ginny enters the room. The witch clicks her tongue, sitting beside her, wrapping her arms around her.

"Oh honey, you're going to be okay."

"How do you know that Gin?"

"Because you semi-raised Ron, and he turned out wonderfully."

"That's a weird way to put it, seeing as we both lost our…"

"Okay, I will need you to stop and never finish that sentence; that is something I don't need to hear about my brother. But now I am going to have to ask you to stop crying because if you keep crying, I am going to continue to leak, and I don't have any clean t-shirts." Hermione laughs, wiping the tears from her face. Ginny places her head on her shoulder, telling her over and over again that she is going to be a beautiful bride, a fantastic mom, and that she will probably poop on the delivery table, but not to worry because the Healers see that all the time.

Harry Potter comes home to find his wife and best friend fast asleep while his daughter is wide awake and babbles as she wiggles in place. He chuckles, places his bag in a chair, and scoops the little girl up.

"Come on, Lily, let's give Mommy and Aunty Hermione a break." He walks away from them, heading toward his son's bedroom to check on his other two children.

Malfoy Manor

Hermione and Draco's wing

Wedding day

"It doesn't fit." Hermione sobs as her mother helps her with the zipper of her dress. She knew she should have waited until later to buy her dress. She was a bit rounder around the middle, her baby bump only showing a bit. That didn't matter to Hermione because, at that moment, she felt like a beached whale.

"Hermione, darling, take a deep breath," Narcissa says, taking her daughter's face into her hands. Hermione looks at her with a sniffle. The older witch inhales and holds it, waiting for the younger girl to follow her lead. Hermione inhales and exhales along with her mother-in-law. Narcissa nods, waving her wand and letting out some fabric, enough for Helen to zip the dress completely.

"There, it's on. Let's have a look." Her mother says as Hermione approaches the room filled with her mothers and bridesmaids. Cheers ring out through the room as she laughs, dabbing her eyes with the baby-blue handkerchief given to her that morning from her maid of honor's mother. Hermione was almost four months pregnant, getting married on a crispy October in the afternoon. She was past her first trimester and done with the morning sickness, even though she felt as if she was going to be that very moment. Wedding jitters, her mother calls it. In just a few hours, she would be Mrs. Hermione Granger Malfoy.

Looking around the room, her heart swells as she watches all the women around her. Ginny, her maid of honor, is straightening her daughter's dress before placing her in her lace-covered pram decorated with periwinkle flowers. When picking her flowers and colors, Draco commented about doing everything in Periwinkle, like her dress from her fourth year. They all agreed that the bridesmaids' dresses were a lighter shade of periwinkle, Ginny's maid of honor dress was a deeper blue color, and her daughter's flower girl dress matched hers. The mother of the bride and the groom wore similar dresses, each a shade of periwinkle, darker for Narcissa and lighter for Helen, who was a tanner than the witch.

Hermione looks down at her little bump, rubbing it gently. At her last check-up, she found out the sex of her child; Draco, however, wanted it to be a surprise. The only people who knew were Hermione and Narcissa, who were helping Hermione with the nursery. Her mother and father are siding with Draco, wanting to be surprised when the baby is born. She smiles, looking up at the reflection of her dress. After a hectic day of dress shopping in the magical world, Hermione, her mother, and Narcissa made their way to dress shops in muggle London and found the perfect one in the first store, they went to—a floor-length short-sleeved lace dress covered in intricate details that shimmered when the light hit it just right. With a sweetheart neckline, it did wonders for her new fuller boobs.

"You look beautiful, my dear," Narcissa says, adding her own eyes as tears form; Hermione sniffles as she takes her hand. The witch was back to how she was before the war. All she needed was a family and everything that came with it. While her husband couldn't be there, she was gaining a daughter and in-laws, who she cherished deeply, and eventually, she would get to hold her first of hopefully many grandchildren. Her sister, now back in her life, recently moved in with her at Malfoy Manor, along with the precious Teddy Lupin. Narcissa regrets that she never got to know her niece, but she was able to love and dote on her son to honor her through him.

"Knock-knock." Richard Granger says, opening the door, holding a hand over his eyes. The ladies in the room laugh, causing three-month-old Lily to giggle.

"Everyone is decent, dear," Helen says, placing a flower in Pansy Parkinson's hair. The witch smiles at the woman, saying a quick thanks before returning to finish her debate with Luna Lovegood. Dr. Granger chuckles, dropping his hand before he sucks in a breath.

"Five galleons, he cries," Ginny whispers to Pansy, the other witch nodding. They all watch as the older man steps up to his daughter, cups her face, and places a small kiss on the top of her head.

"You look enchanting, princess," he says, wiping a tear from his eye. Pansy curses under her breath, handing the money to the redhead witch. A few chuckles fill the room as Hermione starts to feel the tears forming in her eyes.

"Thank you, daddy." She places a hand over him as he turns to the ladies in the room. Clearing his throat, he motions to his wife to stand by his side. She takes his hand as he speaks out to the group,

"They are almost ready, so the lizard lady out there with the clipboard wants everyone except the bride to head out to line up outside of the gardens." The ladies chuckle as Richard Granger insults one of the top wedding planners in the magical world. They each say their words of encouragement before walking out of the room, leaving Hermione and her parents.

"Well, I am going to go find my seat, Hermione, before I leave; I want you to know that I am so proud of you and the woman you have become. You have been the center of my life ever since the day you were born. You will be an amazing mother, and I can't wait to see you grow each day as you raise your little one." Helen dabs the corners of her eyes, reaching over and wrapping her arms around her daughter. Hermione lets out a small sob, fanning her eyes to keep the tears from falling.

"Right, time to go." She says, kissing her girl again before heading out the double doors. Hermione looks up at her father as he holds out his arm. Placing her hand over it gently, she takes a deep breath as the lizard lady knocks on the door, signaling to them that it is time to head out.

Outside Malfoy Manor

In the garden's

Five minutes before Hermione comes out

"Deep breaths, mate," Theo says, fanning his friend. Draco swats his hand away, narrowing his eyes.

"Are you drunk?" he asks his best man. Theo snorts before shaking his head. Draco rolls his eyes as Blaise Zabini enters the gardens on Padma Patil's arm. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley chuckle from behind him, his mother clearing her throat loudly, causing the men to stop.

"I wouldn't get drunk at your wedding, mate; I am just high on life," Theo says, clasping his shoulders. Draco grunts as Ginny Potter walks down the aisle, pushing a pram, and flowers gently fall from it as they reach the end. Molly Weasley stands, taking the youngest Potter child from her, and Ginny stands in front of the line of witches across from him. He stands in the middle, choked up, as the trio of violinists plays the wedding march. Everyone stands and turns towards the entrance of the garden.

At that moment, Draco knew that he would never be happier than he was. Feeling the tears starting to fall, he almost falls to the ground as a small sob comes out. Some of the guest chuckles, and his mother's sobs fill his ears as he looks up at his beautiful bride walking toward him. She smiles brightly at him, her eyes filling with tears. Her father nods at him as they stop in front of him. Richard takes his hand, placing Hermione's on top of his.

"Take care of them, son, and know this: I will be watching." Draco chuckles as Hermione quickly kisses her father as the music ends. Holding hands, they turn to face Minerva McGonagall, who graciously agrees to marry them before their family and friends.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

╰ (*°▽°*) ╯ I am not typing the entire wedding, so let's skip to the end

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss the bride," McGonagall says while Draco kisses Hermione before the witch can finish her sentence. Their guests cheer as Draco dips his wife before bringing her back up, breaking the kiss, and pressing his forehead to hers. She sighs before looking up at him. He grins, taking her hand, and they turn to the crowd.

"I would like to introduce, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione and Draco walk down the aisle as the music starts again, and cheers surround them. The two of them laugh as they head inside, stopping momentarily to kiss and grope each other.

"We need to change for the reception," Hermione says between kisses; Draco shakes his head.

"They can wait for an hour, Mrs. Malfoy." She giggles, pulling away from him. He pouts as she pulls him toward their wing.

"We have plenty of time for that later; the guests are hungry. I don't know if you have seen a larger group of hangry Weasleys, but it isn't a pretty sight. Let's get dressed and head back down; I'll make it up to you later." She says with a wink. Draco growls before following behind her, holding her dress up as they head up the stairs.

Reception

"Here they are, folks, Mr. and Mrs. Hermione Malfoy!" Theo Nott calls out as the married couple steps into the ballroom. Cheers fill the room as Hermione laughs at Draco's face. The best man holds up his glass as the two head towards their table.

"Hilarious, Nott; keep it up; I'll remember this for your wedding." The other wizard snorts before whispering into his friend's ear.

"Luna wants to get married naked under a full moon in spring. Do you think you will join?"

"That's a no for me," Draco says, making a face before smiling at his guests. He turns his attention to his wife before speaking to the group.

"I want to take this time to thank everyone who could be here today. I will be forever grateful to every one of you. Now, to my beautiful wife, Hermione, I discovered that my timeline might have been wrong this year. I always thought it was my fourth year at Hogwarts. I fell for you, but after Theo and I discussed it, I realized it was my third year. After you punched me outside of the castle." Everyone laughs as Hermione blushes. Draco chuckles before continuing, "I have made many mistakes; however, you are my redemption. My whole world changed the moment you were brought to my home during the war. Thankfully, you, Potter, and Weasley escaped and eventually ended the war.

After doing some soul-searching and nagging from my mother, I got the courage to ask you out, disguising it as a ruse to pull one over on my mother, which would never have worked. I planned to bring you in with a sob story of my mother's health, break down the wall around your heart, and make myself home there. You are the light of my life, the reason I wake up every day. I know I said all my vows already, but I want to promise to you again in front of our friends and family to remain faithful and true to you. Forever and always." Hermione lets out a small sob as she pulls him down, placing a kiss on his lips. Everyone around them cheers as they separate. The new Mrs. Malfoy smiles before looking up at her husband.

"Well, Draco, I had a feeling you were just laying it on thick when you talked about lying to your mother. Even though I acted as if I wouldn't accept, I want you to know I would always say yes. You have made me the happiest woman in the world, bringing our friends and family together, and because of a minor slip-up with a potion, our little family is growing, and I can't wait to be the mother of our children. I want to take this moment to tell everyone a story. At eleven years old, I ran into a boy with blonde hair on the train who was kind and sweet. Of course, that same boy acted differently after discovering who my parents were. It didn't bother me; I was used to being judged from my early childhood years. The only thing that mattered was how my heart would speed up every time I saw him-

"Draco, you were my first love and my first heartbreak. There were times when I wanted to strangle you, kiss you, and just hold you. During the Yule Ball, I noticed how you looked at me, and honestly, I was tempted to find you after it ended. Unfortunately, I was having a moment due to a certain redhead. The next year, returning to school after facing your father in the Department of Mysteries, I remember being in the library when you came up to me, apologizing for your father and leaving before I could say anything. In our sixth year, I was worried about you. You didn't tease me; you barely spoke in class, and every day, it seemed like you were getting worse as time passed. The night after Harry and you dueled in the bathroom, I snuck into the Hospital Wing; Madame Pomfrey saw me, but she let me sit by your side, and even after that mark on your forearm, I still found my heart longing for you. So, long story short, you have been the one for me from my first year. I love Draco Malfoy, forever and always."

The room fills with cheers as Draco wraps his arms around his wife, kissing her deeply. Ginny lets out a loud whistle; Theo, Harry, Ron, and Blaise bang on the table as their dates all cheer and clap for the happy couple. The mothers of the bride and groom hold each other, sobbing into their handkerchiefs. Dr. Granger claps with a small smile stretching across his face. The Weasley clan cheers louder as Draco signals for the food to arrive. The night is filled with joy and merriment, the room bright and full of love for the two newlyweds.

"Forever and always? Draco asks, kissing his wife and placing a hand over her belly. She smiles, her hand over his, their rings glistening under the fairy lights.

"Always and forever." She answers, leaning against his shoulder as their guests dance around them.

Five months later

"You are doing great, Mrs. Malfoy." Healer Ames says from the other end of the bed. Hermione groans as she stops pushing for a second, leaning against her best friend. Ginny Potter wipes the sweat from her face, cradling her and whispering encouragement. Feeling another contraction, the witch lets out a sob before leaning forward, pushing again as the Healer counts down.

Falling back in bed, she turns to her friend and says, "Where is he?!" Her body shakes as a sob rips through her—the most important day of their life, and he is missing.

"He should be on his way, Mione, don't worry. You focus on the baby." Ginny says before the doors burst open. Draco Malfoy pants as he takes a mask from the nurse's hand.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Hermione yells as another contraction comes. Draco pushes past everyone, standing by her side and taking her hand as she goes.

"I can see the head; keep going, Mrs. Malfoy," Ames yells as Hermione screams, pushing with all her might. Draco winces as her nails break the skin. "Almost; there's one shoulder, and now, one more big push, Hermione."

The next sound changed their lives—the child entering the world. Hermione falls back as the Healer places her baby on her chest. The little thing wails as the nurses wipe the birth gunk off, and Draco cuts the chord—Hermione sobs, bringing her hand to hold her child.

"A beautiful baby boy, congratulations you two." Her Healer smiles at them while the nurse takes their son over to get cleaned up. Ginny kisses her head before looking at Draco with a glare. Before she could say anything, she noticed the tears falling from his eyes.

"I almost missed it; holy shit, I almost missed the birth of our son." He falls to his knees, sobbing loudly. The nurses and healers around the room look at him while Hermione and Ginny share a look. They would fuss at him at different times.

"Draco, come here." Hermione calls, her voice hoarse from the yelling and screaming. The wizard stops crying, stands up, and almost falls over as he reaches for his wife. She grabs ahold of his hand, pulling him to her. She places her forehead against his, taking a deep breath. He closes his eyes, breathing with her. "You are here now, and that is all that matters."

"What are we thinking for the name?" The other Healer asks, looking at them with concern. Hermione smiles without missing a beat,

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." Draco looks at his wife, his heart full.

"That's a mouthful," Ginny says as the little Scorpius is brought to his parents. Draco glared at her before taking his son from the Healer's arms. He holds him close to his mother's head, and the little boy, sensing her presence, opens his eyes. Hermione lets out a gasp as she looks into his grey-blue eyes. A little perfect copy of Draco, with her nose. "Oh, shoot, he's cute even after getting all smushed and shot out of his mommy's vajayjay."

"Ginny…"

"Sorry, but at least he doesn't look like a potato." The trio laughs as the room clears out of St. Mungo's workers and fills up with the grandparents and friends.

Little Scorpius, not even a year old, became a big brother to his sister, Lyra Marie Malfoy—the little girl with her white-blonde curls and her mother's warm brown eyes. The two were joined two years later by the first set of Malfoy twins, Archer Theodore Malfoy and Aster Ginerva Malfoy, a mixture of their parents. Their godparents held each other, sobbing after seeing their names on their little bassinets. All of the children were bright, talented, sweet, and loving. Narcissa was over the moon with all her grandchildren, and the day she saw her husband, he fainted when he learned what had become of the Malfoy line.

Once he came, he sobbed as he asked for pictures of his grandchildren. While skeptical, Hermione agreed to receive photographs and letters updating him on the Malfoy children. When Scorpius has his eighth birthday, a patronus interrupts the celebration with news of Malfoy Senior being rushed to St. Mungo's.

Sitting at home while her children sleep, Hermione paces for what seems to be hours before her husband returns home. Karma had a cruel plan for Lucius Malfoy, for he was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer, a disease that was considered muggle. Narciss convinced him to fight it, using whatever means necessary, including muggle treatments. For the time being, that meant the older wizard was coming home. The Wizengamot agreed that while he still had strict rules, Azkaban was not equipped with anything to take care of his health needs. Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about it until she saw the man who used to haunt her dreams.

He was thin, older looking, his hair dull, and his eyes sunken in. Her children were away at her parent's house when he arrived connected to an oxygen tank. Lucius looked at her with those sad eyes, and from then on, she was on board with him, living out whatever time he had left there, surrounded by his family.

His family, being the medicine, was precisely what he needed. Not long after moving home, he took the title of Papa, or pop-pop, as Archer and Aster called him. He loved his grandchildren in a way that even Draco was jealous of. Soon, there was word of a match for new lungs in muggle London, and he was whisked away to receive his second chance. Sitting in the waiting room with four sleeping children, Draco says a quick prayer to the god, begging them to keep his father alive. While he thought he was okay with the idea of dying, he found himself silently sobbing while his wife rubbed his back. The following day, he wakes to the sound of his mother's cries. Only after his wife calmed his breathing did he realize his mother was happy crying.

Walking into the room, listening to the rhythm of his father's heart, Draco falls to his knees, holding onto the side of the bed, thanking whoever would listen for keeping him alive. Hermione cried silently beside him while her parents took the kids to get food. Narcissa doesn't leave his side, even after her sister visits to convince her to eat something. When she finally lets go of his hand, he says her name, opening her eyes. Hermione felt her mother-in-law's magic spark as she grabbed her husband and kissed him for the first time since coming home from Azkaban.

His homecoming was small, just immediate family wishing his good health as he is set up in Narcissa and Andromeda's wing. The Malfoy children and the Potters and Weasley kids made get-well cards that he requested to be laminated and placed in a book for him to keep forever. Hermione was happy that her husband could reunite with his father, and their children got to know a kinder version of the man. She slowly warmed up to him, especially after learning how he started reading muggle books at Azkaban. Sitting in the library one day, he approaches her, his cane tapping lightly against the marble as he sits beside her. He apologizes to her, which she accepts, but he continues to tell her how proud he is of her. He would dedicate the rest of his life to making amends for his past.

He pulls out his will, showing her the new additions he added. She and her children would be cared for for the rest of their lives if she stopped working. Hermione rolled her eyes at the notion, but Lucius commented that if she were hurt on the job and unable to work, they would be taken care of until she could return. She smiled at that. The next thing brought tears to her eyes; at the time of his death, he portion of the assets was to be put into a trust to help integrate other muggleborn children into their world, scholarships for those who would have a hard time affording all of their school needs, and programs to help the children and their families understand their world better as they grow.

That was the first time Hermione Malfoy hugged her father-in-law.

The following year, Lucius Malfoy passed away in his sleep.

After his passing, his will was read, the trusts were created, the programs Narcissa ran were implemented, and the world moved on.

Platform 9 ¾

Archer and Aster's first year

"Bye mum, bye dad!" Fourteen-year-old Scorpius Malfoy calls out, rushing to the train and meeting with his best friends, Thaddeus Nott, Lily Potter, and Ari Zabini. Thirteen-year-old Lyra rolls her eyes before hugging her mum and grunts as her father squeezes her a little too tight.

"Dad, I can't breathe." Draco Malfoy laughs before brushing her curls away from her face. His little Lyra, not so little anymore, was just like her mother, brilliant and terrifying with a heart of gold. The first Gryffindor Malfoy, Draco, had to put his head between his legs the day she sent a letter home letting them know about her housing. Hermione beamed with pride, framing the letter and placing it next to the one Scorpius had sent the year before.

"Well, that's two out of the four houses." Draco, if possible, turned a sickly pale as he begged his last two children to bribe the hat to sort them into Slytherin or Gryffindor. He didn't know what to do if he had a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Hermione whacked him with the newest version of Hogwarts: A History.

"Bye mum, bye dad, I promised to meet up with Lilian," Lyra says, giving her dad one more kiss before heading to the train to meet up with Pansy and Ron's daughter, her fellow Gryffindor, much to Pansy's dismay. The two ex-Slytherins shared drinks as they cursed their partner's genes. Draco was swatted twice with Hogwarts: A History since Ron couldn't hit his wife.

Archer and Aster look at their parents with nervous grins. Hermione smiles down at them before wrapping her arms around them. They wrapped one arm around their mum, placing a head on both of her shoulders. Archer, the oldest of the two with his grey-blue eyes and brown curls, grunts as Hermione releases her hold.

"Is Dad going to disown us if we end up in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?" Hermione chuckles before shaking her head.

"No, my love, he was kidding. No matter what house you end up in, I know you will do your best." She touches her forehead to his, taking a deep breath; Archer does the same. Aster smiles as her dad hugs her tightly, finally understanding her sister's warning earlier that year.

"Daddy, air." Draco sobs as he lets go of his baby girl, cupping her face between his hands, looking into her dark brown eyes while running a hand through her long blonde hair. Hermione chuckles as she wraps an arm around Archer, giving him one more squeeze. The twins then turn to the other parent and repeat the process. As the two walk away holding hands, Draco lets out another cry as their friends join them.

"Good god, man, pull yourself together," Harry says, clasping Draco. The other wizard glares at him while Ginny snorts.

"You wouldn't let the train leave with Lily when she first started Harry Potter; you have no room to talk." Harry rolls his eyes as their friends laugh. Hermione looks around at the other couples with a smile. Harry and Ginny, still going strong these years later, Ron and Pansy, their youngest, Lucus, still not old enough to go to Hogwarts, holding on to his mum's hand, watching as the train starts to move. Theo and Luna tied the 'knot' in a naked full moon ritual that they all conveniently missed, and soon they had three kids of their own. The oldest, Thaddeus, then two years later, Oliver, and not long after, they welcomed their third son, Beckham. Blaise surprised everyone by setting down with Padma Patil after the two reconnected at Hermione and Draco's wedding. The two fell quickly in love that night afterward, and before they could say their vows months later, little Ari was born. He is the troublemaker of Scorpius's group and the youngest of the three, a bit of a weirdo, as Draco claims, but the Slytherin goddess Lily Potter is pulling their strings. Older than both of the boys by a few months, she had them plus most of the male population wrapped around her little finger. Harry was horrified, while his wife was filled with pride.

Hermione waves as the heads of all four of her children pop out of the trains' windows. The whistle blows as each parent says their goodbyes and leaves to return home. The witch sighs as the train disappears into the cloud of smoke, leaning her head against her husband's chest.

"Forever and always?" He asks with a chuckle.

"Always and forever." She responds, kissing him on his cheek and pulling away from him with a wink. "We have an empty house."

"Let's go," Draco says, scooping up his wife like a randy teenager. She squeals as they disapparate away.

Later that evening, Draco let out a cheer as the twins' letter arrived, letting their parents know that Archer had ended up in Gryffindor with Lyra while Aster had joined her eldest brother in Slytherin. Hermione chuckles as she watches her husband frame their letter.

"Are you staring at my butt?"

"Forever and always." She squeals as he chases her out of the room.

The End