AN: And here is the next one. Poll has been placed in profile regarding Harry's house.

Chapter 50: Silent Night

Apparently, his cousin and his girlfriend wanted some alone time. So here he was being babysit by Remus and eating at a filthy muggle tavern of all things in Switzerland. It was supposed to an immersion lecture where they could get an idea of muggle customs in Switzerland or whatever. Personally, Draco just thought Remus wanted to order a beer.

He really couldn't stand the guy even though he didn't blame him for stealing Mother away from Father like he did a couple of weeks ago.

He hadn't really known what he thought about his parents' separation since he was showed those pictures of Mother. He still wanted to see Father, but if he had done that to her…that mark on her stomach.

He thought about writing to him and asking him, but it just didn't feel right about doing that. Hell, he almost regretted contacting the couple of times he had anyway. Hell, he hadn't even been that mouthy towards the werewolf as of late even though he still couldn't stand looking at the man.

He did notice and Granger looked similar. He thought about asking her about it, but she mostly talked to Harry instead of him.

Of course, she'd be interested in his flop of a cousin.

"They make good hamburgers here," Remus said at the tavern he had taken him to.

"I hate hamburgers," Draco snapped. He couldn't stand looking at them it reminded him too much of his mother. She had practically craved them raw the last few weeks she was here. He tried not to think about their last interaction much. It was too painful.

The expression on her face when he…

What was wrong with him?

"There are other things on the menu as well," Remus said. "The mutton stew isn't bad."

"Mutton is disgusting," He was surprised that Granger said that usually she was fairly agreeable to what her uncle had to say.

He still couldn't believe she was related to that bastard.

"They ate it in The Hobbit." Remus said.

"I'm not a Tolkien fan." The girl said.

"Blasphemy." Remus said.

Hermione shrugged. "Give me Jane Eyre any day."

"Both of those are muggle books." Draco said. "Muggle literature is inferior to wizarding literature."

"Is there even any good wizarding literature?" Harry asked.

"Good point," Hermione said. There's no Shakespeare, Austen or Bronte."

"We have Gilderoy Lockhart." Draco pointed out.

Harry looked like he gagged. "The Year of the Yeti is only suitable as toilet paper. It's so inaccurate."

Remus laughed, "I agree. Lockhart is a tosser. Besides, even though I'm sure a lot of his accounts are fictional they hardly count as literature. You really should try some muggle literature, Draco, and see if you like it."

"I doubt it," he said.

"Well, you won't know until you try." Remus said. "If you two hate burgers and mutton there's always the salad."

Draco ordered the mutton.

It was a bit chewy but tolerable. Hermione shook her head at him as she bit into her burger. They had asked her if she wanted cheese with it and she looked like she was about to hurl.

"You don't like cheese?" He asked.

She shook her head. Harry shot him a look and quickly changed the subject to their studies.

He didn't understand what he asked was wrong.

Harry had gotten up at some point during the meal and Hermione said, "He changed the subject because of what happened to me earlier this year. I can't stand the sight of cheese or corn now."

"Oh," Draco said. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "It's fine."

"You're not over it are you?"

She rolled her eyes, "Would you be 'over it' if you spent several months as a rat?"

"Was it really months?"

"More or less."

"You know your mother pressed charges against Weasley and the head boy, right?"

She shrugged. "My mother really hasn't gone into details about what's being done. I don't want to know to be honest."

"Won't you care when you go back to school?"

"I'm not going back to that school." She spit out.

"You might have to," Draco said as Harry came back to the table.

"Don't be absurd," Harry said. "She's not going back."

"The wizengamot says otherwise. For such a voracious reader, cousin, you really should read the paper more."

Remus sighed. He had just gotten up from the table to order a pint and it looked like the kids were arguing he couldn't hear what over since he had silently casted a muffling charm around their table just in case talk about magic occurred which is undoubtedly would.

His little girl in particular looked upset.

"What's going on?" He asked feeling the wolf in him being slightly agitated.

"I'm telling them about the new laws I read about Hogwarts in the paper," Draco said.

The little shit.

This was not how he wanted his daughter or Harry to find out about those new crackpot laws.

"It's not true is it?" His little girl asked her eyes seem to be begging him that it wasn't.

Harry to be fair didn't look much better. Sighing he said, "The laws are true. However, that doesn't mean people won't be fighting them."

The kids clearly had more questions but both didn't trust the blonde boy enough at the tavern to ask.

Hell, he didn't trust Draco enough to elaborate.

"I'm not hungry…" He heard his daughter say.

"I think I'm done as well," Harry said who usually ate everything in front of him due to the strong nutrition potions he was forced to take every day.

Honestly, Remus wasn't hungry either. Draco seemed to be the only one who was willingly eating.

Oddly enough, until then the trip had not had been near as awkward as he imagined it would've been when Claire suggested that he take the kids out tonight.

She wanted to take Sirius out after his big job interview. They hadn't gone out in a while, and quite frankly the veela had been so sick lately he was glad to see she felt like doing something. Personally, he had suspicions but he knew better than to say anything.

He only hoped they were having a better time than he was currently.

The last time he had been at this tavern the circumstances had been much happier he had been with Cissy.

He could almost picture her here now in an oversized sweater with those ridiculous muggle boots that she had taken to wearing since her normal shoes no longer worked.

"After I give birth to these kids I am going to burn these boots." She said with a laugh.

He loved how husky her voice had become. How she had become. He knew she was insecure with her appearance and everything, but he loved every square inch of her, though he knew she'd tell him he was rushing things if he mentioned this to her.

"They're not a bad look," He said. "You seem very comfortable."

"Oh, trust me, I'm not." She said. "Half of the time I want to rip off my clothes and just move to a nudist colony."

He laughed. Though it wasn't a bad idea. He knew how good she looked without her clothes. "Maybe I can join you."

"Well, we'd have to go somewhere than freaking Switzerland." She said, "Bora Bora might be nice."

A nude beach with her on Bora Bora sounded like heaven…alas, she wasn't there any longer.

"Remus, I can't go back." Hermione said breaking his thoughts about a naked silver headed veela on the beach.

He noticed she was alone now. "Where are the boys?"

"They're looking for something for dessert from the bakery next door."

He gave her a weird look.

"I asked Harry to give us a minute," She said. "He said he would keep Draco occupied."

"Ah," He said. "That is a bit of a sacrifice. He must like you."

He thought she turned red, but he didn't say anything instead he said. "Your mom and I are going to fight this and even if you do go back you don't have to go as Hermione Granger."

She gave him a weird look. "I don't…"

He sighed heavily. "We thought maybe you could change your name. Your mother said you like Jane Austen. So, we were thinking maybe you could go by Jane Lupin or something like that."

"Jane Lupin? You'd let me use your last name."

He nodded and then was surprised what she said next, "You're my biological father, aren't you?"

He was flabbergasted.

"I know Daddy isn't my biological father." She stated, "I heard them fighting about it. I know this probably isn't the best time to talk to you about it but…"

"Your mother was going to explain it to you," He said. "She didn't think you were ready to hear the truth."

Hermione rolled her eyes. They were Emma's in color, but they were shaped like his.

"I'm not exactly stupid, you know. I can also tell you two aren't siblings. And Draco mentioned the name Pettigrew to me."

"Of course he did…" Remus said. Draco and his big mouth. "Your mother was born into the Pettigrew family. I was friends with her brother at one point in time. That's how we met."

"So, it wasn't a one-night stand then."

He gave her a weird look. "One night stand?"

"I always assumed it wasn't serious," she said. "For her to move on with Daddy so quickly."

He hated that she called another man daddy. He wondered how much did she know.

"We had a relationship," he said. Not that he knew much about it then he added. "I never knew about you."

"She couldn't find you obviously," Hermione said with an eyeroll. "Until I got sick apparently."

"It's complicated."

"Isn't it always?"

"I'd rather we talk about this with your mother," He said.

She laughed. "That is such a dad answer."

Even her saying that tugged on his heart a little bit.

Why did he tell Hermione he'd distract Draco so she could talk to Remus?

Because he liked her. Liked her more than he'd like to admit.

Still, Draco annoyed the hell out of him, especially with how snotty he could be.

"Dreading Hogwarts?" He asked while they looked at the impressive selection of sweets the shop had.

"Why would I, it's not like I'll be retaking first year Transfiguration?"

Draco seemed taken aback.

Good. Maybe he'd learn he wasn't such a pushover.

"I walked into that one, didn't I?"

Harry shrugged.

Draco sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm an ass."

Harry gave him a weird look, "You're actually apologizing to me?"

"Don't tell anyone. I'm a Malfoy I'm not supposed to apologize."

"You're a Black." He stated.

"I'm not used to it," Draco said. "I'm not used to all of this."

He knew the boy's life had been turned upside down almost as much as his. He was still surprised that Draco was admitting it to him of all people though.

"You were there that day, weren't you?"

"What?" Harry said.

"The day Mother left Father. Did she seem upset?"

He nodded. "That may be an understatement."

He could see Aunt Cissy that day. She was crying though it was clear that some sort of glamor had been applied since he couldn't see tears coming down her face despite hearing her sob. He also remembered it was the first time he saw her with silver hair.

Despite what he told Aunt Cissy he still wasn't used to her as a veela. She looked so different now and it really could be discombobulating. He could only imagine how Draco felt. It may have been the only reason he tolerated the ass even a little because he could sympathize with him.

Draco grimaced, "I was an ass to her when she left."

"You don't say," Harry said.

"I probably deserve that too," Draco said.

"You do," Harry said. "Also, you upset Hermione today."

And me.

He didn't want to think about the possibility of attending Hogwarts. The few memoires he had of the school were nightmare inducing. He still could remember that troll and that cub.

"I didn't mean too," Draco said. "I thought both of you would already know. Cousin Sirius hasn't said anything to you about it?"

"I think we were too busy talking about his engagement," Harry said and that Claire was his mum.

Not that Draco knew.

"I still can't believe my cousin is getting engaged to my aunt. She's not pregnant is she?"

"That was the same thing I asked," Harry said with a laugh.

Draco shook his head, "I still can't believe that she's my aunt technically."

"I don't think she views Lucius as her brother." Harry said.

"Sometimes I don't view him as my father." Draco said.

As lovely as their date and after activities were last night, their morning was that hellish.

The monitoring charms she set on Cissy's pen had gone off around three.

At first they thought she had went into labor. After all, she was pregnant with multiples and looked like she was going to burst—she still hadn't rechecked the spells she did on her earlier that made her suspect that she was having quintuplets. She swore she saw two blue hearts, not the blue and pink heart like the twins she was carrying. But it turns out Cissy had not gone into labor.

However, that was not what happened.

A magical forest fire had ripped through the village killing everyone. She never had a chance…even with being a veela the fire that had hit the place was about as intense as Fiendfyre and it wasn't something anyone could survive.

Bella tried to calm herself knowing it wasn't good for the children that were growing inside her, but it was hard to think that her baby sister that all the veela she had known and befriended were dead due to a freak fire of all things.

It seemed so cruel. Cissy never stood a chance. Not with all the spells they kept from keeping her from escaping.

What a terrible way to die. She herself had been burned enough to know the pain Cissy must've felt. If Cissy was even aware.

And the night had started out so well. Beyond well. She finally had her family back, but to find out about Cissy…all that joyfulness was gone.

"You need to eat something," Siri told her that morning.

She shook her head.

"For the babies," He said in a low voice not wanting Harry to know.

They were not telling him. At least not until she got well past her first trimester. They would not put him through the pain they had been through all those times.

She sighed.

"It's toast and marmalade." He said, "It should stay down after you have your tea."

She rolled her eyes though took a bite of the toast. "She can't be gone."

"I know."

"She fought so hard, Siri. For herself. For those babies. And for what to be burnt to death? It's not fair."

"I know, Bella." He said with a sigh. "I know."

"I told her before she changed." She said. "I wondered if she would've remembered. Now I'll never know."

They sat there for a minute before she asked. "How's Draco?"

"Still out," Sirius said the boy had been inconsolable when he was told the news earlier in the day. "I finally was able to get him to take the potion. He blames himself, you know. They had a fight before she changed."

Bella frowned. "She didn't mention it me, but I'm not surprised. She was worried about him."

"I am worried about him as well," he said. "I am against my better judgment probably going to see if he can meet with Lucius once everything' s settled down if he wants."

"I thought he hadn't said anything since you showed him the pictures."

He nodded. "He is his father though and Draco does care for him."

Bella shook her head. "Poor Cissy."

He still couldn't believe his baby cousin was dead. That a fire of all things had killed her. It eerily reminded him of Bella's own accident except an entire village was killed this time. There was no way she could've survived especially given her situation.

Draco had pretty much been inconsolable as well as Bella and Harry. So was he.

It was sad that this seemed to be the thing that had broken him of all things.

"I forgot to ask about your job interview." Andi said desperate to change the subject from the obvious. She had flooed here as soon as she heard what happened. They were trying to figure out how to deal with all of this at this time. It wasn't like there was even a body left to have a funeral.

"I got the job," he said with an eyeroll. "Dumbledore must've been desperate."

"Transfiguration is a tricky subject," She said. "There was a reason Minerva was able to keep that job despite her own issues."

"Minnie wasn't that bad of a professor," he said. "I thought about hiring her to tutor Harry once everything settles down."

"Maybe for one pupil, but not for a whole house full of them." She said, "It's her fault that Gryffindor got so out of control."

"Ugh, and he put me in charge of Gryffindor house."

"Lucky you," She said.

"Well, I'm planning on quitting as soon as I can get a staff full of private tutors or get that stupid law overturned."

Andromeda shook her head. "I can't believe that Gryffindor house is going to be ran by you. Regardless."

He glared at her and changed the subject back to the reason she was here. "How's Bella?"

"Sleeping." She said, "I checked her vitals and she's fine though I had to force her to eat. Funny, she's the opposite of how…"

He grimaced knowing they were both thinking of Cissy.

"And Draco?" He asked.

"He wants to go to where it happened. I told him it may not be possible…"

"None of them survived so it likely won't be that big of a deal," he said sadly. "I still don't even know what happened."

"Forest fires happen, Siri." She said, "It's been a fairly dry summer in Austria by all accounts."

He shook his head as Bella came out of their room.

She was back to wearing muggle lounge-wear not the vibrant sexy woman she was last night whose robes he tore off. She looked ridiculously pale.

"I'm fine," she said seeing him eying her. "Andi forced me to eat dinner."

"I did. Your appetite is rather appalling."

She shrugged. "I'm grieving. I don't eat when I grieve. I'm the opposite of…"

"I was telling Siri that Draco wants to visit the sight," Andromeda said. "Do you think it may be difficult to get to?"

She shook her head. "It won't now. Now that they're dead. All the enchantments are gone."

"Where's Harry?" Sirius asked.

"He was napping with me," Bella said. "He hasn't left my side all day."

Sirius wasn't surprised. His son pretty much clung on to Bella once he realized who she was. And then when he found out about Cissy…well, he wasn't surprised he still hadn't left her side. He was just glad that he was out this morning during today's round of morning sickness. He'd probably put two and two together if he knew Harry.

Mother was dead.

He still couldn't believe it.

Didn't want to believe it.

She had died in a barn like an animal. Because he had caused her to turn. He had. He shouldn't have upset her that day.

He felt horrible about it and told as much to Cousin Sirius after he told him what had happened.

"You didn't cause that fire to hit the coven." He said.

"But she wouldn't have been there if we haven't had had that fight." He said, "I was just so mad at her because of Father. And I didn't believe her…she must've hated me."

"You Mother didn't hate you," Sirius said. "Didn't you read the letter she wrote to you?"

"I destroyed it…" He said. Something else he regretted doing. Now he'd never talk to her again. "I was so mad. So angry. And now…"

"She loved you," Sirius said. "Trust me, kid, she loved you."

And yet he was such a little brat to her….

"Draco?"

It was Cousin Sirius. He was actually dressed like a pureblood lord today. He looked weird, but Draco didn't say anything about it. "I want to see where it happened. I told Aunt Andromeda that."

"I know." Sirius said sitting down next to him. "She says you've been in here since you've been awake."

He nodded.

"Do you want me to write to Lucius?"

Draco shook his head. "No. No. I can't talk to him right now. Not after what he did to Mother."

"He is your father," Sirius said.

Draco laughed, "Don't you know, Cousin Sirius, I'm a bastard."

"You don't have to feel disloyal to your mother if you want to talk to him." Sirius said.

Draco shook his head. He really did not want to talk to Lucius. As much as he craved talking to him earlier this summer, he didn't want anything to do with him right now. After seeing those photos of mother and now her being gone…..

"I don't want to talk to him." He said.

"Okay." Sirius said. "Do you want some dinner. Andromeda mentioned you didn't eat."

He shook his head again. He wasn't hungry. Not even hot chocolate sounded good.

Chapter 51 Preview: Goodbyes as said in Austria. Both Draco and Hermione are given choices to make.