Amethyst rose early the next morning, not that she had planned it that way. "Morning, Ember." The phoenix had already been out hunting it seemed. Orion was still curled up on the bed fast asleep. She exited the tent and noticed Silvermist laying down next to Flamebeak. "Morning, you two." She made her way to the babies. Silvermist got up and came over to her. "I'm sorry." Amethyst hung her head but the hippogriff nudged her gently. "I should have been able to perform the stronger spells…"

"At least they are all going to make it. You got to them all in time." Neville had been checking on the babies.

"We. Couldn't have done it alone." Amethyst smiled at her cousin-in-law.

"Even Draco." He sounded surprised by this. "I know people can change, but…"

"Draco Malfoy is more complex than anyone ever gave him credit for!" Amethyst quipped rather forcefully. "His whole life he'd been taught pure-blood superiority. That the only way to get what you want is to cheat, manipulate, or threaten." She glared at Neville when he opened his mouth and he quickly shut it. "I don't condone his choices. I don't condone how he treated people, but, like you said, people can change. Draco has changed. He isn't so afraid to show his true self."

"Amethyst…" She turned to look at Draco when he spoke. She clearly hadn't realized he and Harry were there.

"Did you know Harry saved his life?" She turned back to Neville.

"Harry saved everyone…" Neville retorted.

"Before Voldemort's final defeat. Despite everything that Draco had said and done. Harry could have left Draco to die in the Room of Requirement, but he didn't Because no matter what, just about every life is worth saving." She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"How did you…?" Harry looked between Amethyst and Draco.

"I told her. It was by letter… the last we'd spoken until the other day." Draco said, still watching Amethyst. Now he understood the trust nature of a Hufflepuff… loyal and fiercely protective of their friends. No one had ever defended him like that.

"He also said he hadn't wanted to leave when his parents called him when we thought Harry was dead. And that, in the chaos of the battle his parents defected and hid somewhere until the battle was over." Amethyst wasn't looking at Draco but she could feel his eyes on her.

"Like the cowards they really were." Draco muttered. "Harry had sacrificed himself to save everyone else. I guess I was a coward too. I could have stayed but ultimately I chose not to. It was almost death either way. After the Department of Mysteries, my dad really fell out of favor with Voldemort… I'm pretty sure I saw relief when he learned that he was really dead."

"We should get up to the castle for breakfast." Neville said, changing the subject. They made their way out of the paddock and were joined by Ember and Orion. Harry squeezed Draco's shoulder reassuringly and then caught up to Neville. Draco fell in beside Amethyst.

"You never cease to amaze me." Draco said after a few moments. "You don't have to defend me, but thank you just the same. No one has done that for me before."

"You're welcome." She replied but she still didn't look at him. "How can people see that you've changed - that you're trying to be better - if they won't let go of the past?" She finally looked at him but he couldn't understand the look in her eyes.

"Albus looks like he's still half asleep." Harry said as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. "Scorpius too."

"That boy is so excited for Care of Magical Creatures it's almost ridiculous. That's all he could talk about when he received his letter." Draco smirked and shook his head. "Amethyst, you could probably teach about Blast-ended Scroots and he'd be thrilled." They all laughed remembering those awful creatures.

"Well, those are not in my lesson plans." Amethyst smiled and helped herself to some toast. "First lesson is on how to care for injured baby hippogriffs."

"Fitting." Ron said with a mouth full of food. They all looked at him and laughed. "Wha?"

"Some things never change, do they, Hermione?" Ginny looked at her sister-in-law.

"Unfortunately, not that it seems." Hermione looked at her husband and laughed again.