Six days before Hermione's birthday, Draco hadn't proposed.

Hermione was disappointed because he said specifically it would happen prior to her birthday. She received a text from Tracey Nott, who overheard Draco ask Theo if it was alright to propose within the week. That was seven days prior and yet …

And yet.

It was a late night; Blaise was at his restaurant and Draco was handling an emergency at the office. Scorpius was asleep, which left Dean and Hermione together in the snug, cuddled in one of the large swivel chairs with a football match replaying on the telly. Hermione asked,

"How was lunch with Seamus?"

Dean grumbled low in his chest before saying, "You weren't meant to know about that."

"You should've told me."

"But—"

"You should have told me." Hermione insisted, "I won't strangle him. I want you to trust me the way you used to."

"Yeah." Dean conceded, "You're right. I was focused on myself, on trying not to fall apart entirely the moment he walked through the door."

"Did you?"

"No." Dean laughed, "He's always my best mate first. He walked in, I hugged him, and I forgave him. It was all I needed, for him to apologise. Then we talked and he didn't stay for lunch."

"No?"

"No. Did you know men can't get divorced because of adultery?"

"I did." Hermione offered, "It only applies to a man cheating on a woman with a woman, or a woman cheating on a man with a man."

"I didn't know that. The only grounds we have for divorce are yearslong separation or unreasonable behaviour. Shea couldn't simply lie, say he cheated on me, and get a divorce. It had to merit 'unreasonable behaviour,' which is why it was egregious and in front of me."

"He could've asked for a separation."

"He did."

"When?"

"Our sixth anniversary." Dean sighed and revealed, "He kept asking for a year, but I wouldn't leave. Truth is, he kept me going. I would have ended up trying to kill myself years earlier if I wasn't married to him. I left Seamus with one option and he took it."

Hermione let that sit for a moment before saying, "He never told us he wanted a separation."

"What was he meant to do? All of you would've taken my side. He knew that, and you lot proved him quite right. He tried to handle it quietly and preserve my dignity. I hadn't seen his perspective before, but he explained what happened on his end and …" Dean admitted, "I'm grateful to him. I wouldn't be with Blaise if Shea had stayed in what was a terribly broken, irreparable marriage."

"Did you tell him about—"

"Mhmm."

"And?"

"He cried in his car, and then he left."

Hermione asked, rather softly, "I know I've been blaming him, but it wasn't his fault, was it?"

Dean shook his head. He nudged Hermione's shoulder with his own and said,

"I blamed him, blamed myself, but the truth is my family never made me feel like a real part of it. I give, they take, and that's nearly all. The past few weeks when I've cut them off have given me the clarity I needed."

Hermione tried not to despair too much. In two days, Bastien would host a surprise engagement party with Dean's family in attendance. A party at London Stadium, which he certainly dipped into his savings for. A massive decision, considering he and Padma had a child on the way. She wondered whether Bastien was walking into an even bigger mistake than the first attempt turned out to be. She delicately tried to suss it out with,

"What clarity is that?"

"I cannot expect them to be there for me anymore. All this time and money I gave them instead of giving it to my husband or myself, and I can be there for them without giving them everything I have. I was trying to prove I'm worthy of being part of their family. My family was all of you, and now …" Dean's smile finally reached his eyes. "Now I plan to be part of Blaise's family. A family I can love myself in."

"Do you plan to welcome them back into your life?"

"My mum's family? Of course, if they understand Blaise is my priority. I'm not nannying for Zara unless I want to, and she can come here; I'm not going there. Why was I traveling all the way from school to Wanstead then back to Leyton?"

Hermione answered, "Because they asked you to."

"And I did everything they asked of me; that was Seamus's point. What I've realised about my marriage to Seamus was we were two fairly straight-seeming blokes who happened to be gay. Being with Blaise, everyone knows immediately," he snapped his fingers, "queer. I love having boys' nights where I can be gay and it doesn't make me less of a man than everyone else. Bastien and Theo don't get weirded out when somebody makes a gay joke like most straight blokes—"

"If Draco is to be believed, Bastien had himself quite a good time at the gay clubs in his twenties."

Dean raised his eyebrows and asked, "Really?"

"I believe the phrase was that he would, and forgive the language, 'fuck anybody with tits without much care for what they had below the belt.'"

"Huh. That's …" Dean grimaced. "I suppose that's me doing what I said everyone did to me, thinking I was straight because …" He chuckled. "Because I'm an amateur athlete with a big dick."

Hermione covered her face with her hand as she laughed. She gently pushed him away with her foot and said,

"Gross."

"Oi, like it's not gross watching Malfoy stare at your tits every day? Like he's starving for them. But I'm happy in a place where I don't have to perform to please my friends and family. Blaise loves me for who I am."

"I think Seamus did, too. I know a bit about being married to your best friend, and when it doesn't work out it ruins you both. Ron bounced back well, but I know it still hurts him."

"Shea misses you." Dean revealed, "He told me that's what he hates most about all this, that he lost his friends."

"I can't speak for anyone, but I was angry at him because I didn't have the luxury of being angry at Ron anymore. Perhaps we'll bridge the gap a bit."

"Blaise sent him a wedding invitation."

"If Draco ever gets 'round to proposing, I doubt Ron will receive an invite. It seems like a formality now, as I'm Scorpius's mother." Hermione smiled softly and repeated, "Draco's not the most important part of our relationship, it's how we work to keep that little boy happy."

"Draco will propose, Hermione. I won't tell you how I know, but trust me. I know."

"Can I ask you a question?"

Dean laughed and said, "You don't need to ask for permission."

Hermione hedged, "It's about sex."

"Gin asks me sex questions all the time."

"Ginny?" Hermione scooted back and looked at Dean full-on. "Why would she be asking you sex questions?"

Dean blinked.

"Because Harry's bisexual."

"Yes, but—"

"I'm fairly certain Gin asks me the questions you're about to ask, which is why I mentioned it. You're asking about how you enter through the back door, yeah?"

Hermione blanched. She never asked Ginny about her sex life with Harry for the same reason Ginny never asked about Hermione's with Ron. She found her voice in time to say,

"Draco hasn't asked or mentioned it, but I'd like to know what I'm doing when he does."

"Okay." Dean shrugged. "Three basic rules to follow. First, you go slow, and patience is key. Second, don't ignore the front bits while you're in the back. Finally, if you think you have enough lube, you don't. You always need more."

"He mentioned, rather offhand, that Astoria would …" Hermione felt her cheeks heating up. "But she was nearly as tall as him. I fear—"

"Hah!" Dean giggled. "Hermione, my husband was hardly taller than you and I'm taller than your boyfriend. The height difference only matters if you want it to. Sex is always about confidence, no matter how you're doing it. Though, if you're going to wear a strap it sounds like you may want to stay away from Bastien—"

"Stop." Hermione laughed. "I came to you in confidence."

"Look, Seamus is a great shag. I know people never expect it because he's short, but he knows what he's doing. When you're being handled by someone, you want sure hands. Whatever anyone thinks of Seamus, he's got steadier hands than most surgeons. If you want to fuck Malfoy, all you need is confidence and—"

"Lots of lube?" guessed Hermione.

Dean confirmed, "Loads of lube."

Hermione snuggled into Dean's side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She admitted,

"I've loved spending all this time with you. Waking up and knowing you'll be here, that I'm among friends, is something I never knew I missed."

"It's been nice having you here. I'm close to Gin because we've always been close, but I was afraid stepping into this level of wealth might take the ease of our friendships away. Instead, it's given me the opportunity to be closer to all of you. Hell, I went out with Harry and the boys last weekend. I visited Ron. I've done all the things I never allowed myself to do because I believed my mum's family needed to be first."

"They're your family, too."

"Then why do I feel more like myself sitting in this house, than I ever did in theirs?"

Hermione countered with, "Why do I feel more like Hermione Granger in this house than I ever did in my own flat?"

"Perhaps, and I'm just guessing, it's because we were both alone."

"No more," said Hermione.

Dean confirmed, "No more."

.oOo.

Hermione came home from physical therapy the following afternoon to a house buzzing with activity. Blaise was in the kitchen, Scorpius was reading a book in the dining room, and Dean was FaceTiming with Luna about her latest drafts. Draco was leaning against the wall, facing the door, wearing his naughty professor glasses. Perhaps someday she'd get to shag him in a library. That would be a proper birthday present. Draco grinned and said,

"Welcome back, golden girl."

Hermione's hand tightened around the handle of her duffel bag. He'd left his hair down and the top four buttons of his shirt unfastened. Welcome back, golden girl. Her adrenaline was still high, her hair was sticking to her forehead, and she probably smelled of sweat. But—

"Let's go upstairs."

Hermione followed him into the guest bedroom, then Draco closed the door behind them. Hermione tossed her duffel onto the floor and said,

"I need to clean up."

"Don't shower." Draco fell onto the bed, leaned back against the pillows, and unbuttoned his trousers. "I want you like this."

"You want me like this?" Hermione gestured to her sports bra and leggings, each soaked with sweat. "This?"

"As I said. If the clothes bother you," Draco pulled down the zip of his trousers and nodded toward the floor, "undress there. I'm happy to watch."

Hermione felt her face begin to turn pink. She anxiously toed off her socks and said,

"I'm not sure—"

"I wasn't asking." Draco spread himself out lazily on the bed and said, "Are you self-conscious about something?"

Hermione looked down at the scars on her left arm, the damp patches across the lower band of her sports bra, and the blue polish that had begun to chip off her toenails.

"I'm self-conscious about many things at this moment. Not the least of which is that I'm covered in sweat."

"You look incredibly sexy like that."

Hermione asked, "Why does it feel like you're telling me the truth?"

"Is this," Draco gestured lazily in the direction of Hermione's body with one hand, "not how you look after a properly rough round of sex?"

"I suppose it is."

"I know it is, so have you any idea how desperate I am to fuck you when you walk through the door, looking exactly as you do right before an orgasm? Smelling of sweat and adrenaline, your hair is already messy so I needn't concern myself with keeping it intact, and God knows we have to get you out of those clothes." Draco grinned. "So step out of them for me."

Hermione's body felt a bit lighter. She never considered it in that way, that being sexy wasn't always being put together. Sometimes it was I'm tense, I had a rough day, and I'd like you to fuck the tension out of me. She pushed her leggings down to her ankles before stepping out of them. She kicked them toward the door and Draco said,

"Looks like your knickers are soaked as well. I think they should keep your leggings company."

Hermione pushed her underwear down to her knees, stepped out, and rolled them into a ball. She looked down at the scarring across her left thigh, knowing full well her bum looked worse. She turned around, slowly, ensuring Draco had a full view of what her body looked like in the light. When she faced him again, she asked,

"Is this really what you want to see?"

Draco's smile softened and he said, "We have two very different perspectives when it comes to your body. You seem to hate it—"

"I do, yes."

"I like to be in control. When I look at your scars, Hermione, all it means to me is I'm fucking one of the toughest women on the planet and she's choosing to let me choke her until she can't see straight. I've had sex with beautiful people and the novelty wears off after awhile."

"Who's to say my novelty won't?" Hermione asked as she tossed her knickers toward the door.

"Me." Draco insisted, "I imagine myself at seventy, you've won every award known to journalism, been ambassador to the UN, PM if you're so inclined, had a dozen books written about you and your accomplishments … Still lying on the bed with your legs spread for me and only me. I love you, I really love fucking you, and I think we haven't done that nearly enough."

Hermione smiled as she unzipped her sports bra and threw it toward the rest of her clothes. She believed Draco, and wanted to be shagging him in thirty-five years' time. She placed her hands on her tits and asked,

"When we're seventy and these aren't quite so buoyant, you'll still be shagging me?"

"I'm hard just thinking about it."

Hermione laughed, noting that Draco's interest was rising quickly.

She asked, "What do you want me to do now," and added, "daddy blond?" just to watch him squirm.

Draco groaned and tossed his head back onto the pillows. He patted the bed next to him and said,

"Over here, now."

Hermione obliged him, half-jumping onto the free side of the bed. No sooner had her head hit the pillows than Draco rolled on top of her. He mumbled into her neck,

"I've been thinking about this all day. At the office, you starkers in my head …" He pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. "Oliver gets to see you like this five days a week, and I envy him."

Hermione sank into the mattress, Draco's silk shirt soft against her chest. She was happy like this. Her adrenaline never quite settled; she was eager to please. Hermione stuffed her hand down the back of his trousers and pulled his shirt free. There was a noise somewhere off to the right and—

"Maman?"

Draco and Hermione froze, then turned to see Scorpius standing in the doorframe with his hands over his eyes. Draco hissed,

"Scorpius."

Hermione begged for death. Draco pressed himself flat against Hermione and shielded her as best he could. He tilted his head to look at the door and said,

"Did I not teach you to knock?"

"Yes, father. Is this whisper kisses?"

"Yeah, Scorp," Draco pressed his lips together and choked back a laugh. "These are whisper kisses."

"Ok. I won't look, but maman didn't say hello. I was afraid I did something wrong."

"Va jouer."

Hermione's heart sank a bit. She thought they had time. That's what this was meant to be, time together before she returned to work. Time for them to have slow, intimate sex in the middle of the day just because they wanted to. Scorpius turned around and made for the stairs, so Hermione shouted after him.

"Take your hands off your eyes before you go downstairs!"

They waited for the door's audible click before letting out a simultaneous exhale. Hermione closed her eyes and tried not to cry. Why could sex with her boyfriend never be just sex with her boyfriend?

"This," said Draco, "is why I've bought us a house."

Hermione's voice was barely above a whisper when she asked, "What are 'whisper kisses?'"

"Well," Draco sat up and began unbuttoning his shirt. "My son knew he shouldn't've seen us together in the hallway all those months ago. He asked why it felt wrong to see, and I told him certain kisses are for your partner only. Hence, the whisper."

"I see." That seemed like rather decent parenting. She wondered if she could have thought of something like that on her own. Hermione raised her eyebrows and asked, "You've truly bought a house?"

"Furniture and interior design are taking longer than I hoped. We won't have it done by your birthday, but progress is good."

Hermione opened her eyes to find Draco tossing his shirt toward the growing pile of clothes on the floor. He pushed his trousers and pants down in one go, saying,

"Now that Scorpius is expecting us, it looks like I need to make this quick. How hard did Oliver push your arm today?"

"It was a stressful session."

"I won't mess with it, then. Now, close your eyes, breathe, and enjoy the ride, golden girl."

.oOo.

The following afternoon, Hermione arrived at London Stadium twenty minutes ahead of Draco and the guests of the hour. She watched as Scorpius took it all in. She wondered,

"Haven't you been to a football stadium?"

"Father takes me to Formula 1 and Uncle Blaise takes me to women's matches."

"Which do you prefer?"

Scorpius shrugged and didn't answer. Hermione suspected, given how little time he had with the father figures in his life, sports were little more than a distraction. Hermione opened the door to The Royal East and watched Scorpius rush past the entry into the primary dining area. Hermione was halfway to him when Albus appeared from nowhere to crush him in the tightest hug a six-year-old could manage.

"BEST FRIEND!"

Hermione couldn't tell which of them shouted it first because they were jumping around in a circle, still hugging, until they collapsed into a heap on the floor. She surveyed the guests, noting several from Blaise's circle she'd never met before. Mr. Queensbury seemed far more ingratiated to that half of the guests. A not-insignificant number of players from Arsenal's women's team were there, hovering near their captain. Ginny and Harry were talking to Neville and Hannah. Ron and his wife were there, chatting away to Bastien. Padma was speaking to Narcissa Malfoy. Ced and Parvati were speaking to Theo and Tracey. Dean's entire family seemed to be present, minus Ava. Hermione wasn't surprised, given that she seemed to be the catalyst for this situation. Right in the middle of that group, talking to Dean's twin sisters, was Seamus Finnegan.

It had been a few years that seemed to do him both well and not so. His muscles were larger than Hermione remembered. He'd lost nearly all his friends; perhaps he had more free time for the gym. He was in brown trousers, a grey shirt, and a beautiful tan leather jacket. There was an immediate shift in the atmosphere when Hermione caught sight of him. Slowly, everyone began to turn toward her; the chatter turned to quiet turned to silence.

Hermione locked onto Seamus's gaze and, to his credit, he didn't look away. She saw pain in his eyes. He stood there without flinching, even as Hermione walked toward him. She felt every pair of eyes in the room. The sound of her shoes clicking against the floor cut through the rather abrupt silence. Once she was within arm's reach, Seamus braced himself like he expected to be punched. While he might've deserved that, Hermione knew it shouldn't come from her. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and said,

"I'm sorry for a lot of things."

The first words out of Seamus's mouth were, "How's your arm?"

"It moves better. Thank you for asking."

Only then did Seamus have the confidence to return the embrace. Hermione missed this. Hugging Seamus was great because he and Harry were the closest people in their friend group to her height.

"I thought you were going to hit me."

"No, I know you loved Dean. I'm sorry for the Ron-shaped cloud hanging over my judgment. I've been blaming you for your divorce because it was easier than blaming Ron for ours."

"Dean told me what happened." Seamus's voice shook when he said, "Thank you for going to get him. I'm still … Still processing it."

"You never wanted that for him. I'm sorry for ever believing you did."

"I'll never forgive myself for letting him get so low."

"He was there for years, Shea, and the rest of us were too blind to see it. You tried to help him find a way out, and when you couldn't, you found a way to leave. I can't blame you for either of those things."

"You can, but I won't stop you from trying to see me in a better light." Seamus hesitated before asking, "You're dating Draco Malfoy now?"

"Yes, actually," Hermione stepped out of the hug and was surprised to find Scorpius standing behind her, "this is my son."

"SEAMUS!"

He laughed and said, "Scorpius!" Before turning to Hermione and saying, "We've met."

"Do you know my maman?"

"Hermione and I have been together a time or two," teased Seamus.

They mingled for a bit. Hermione noted a woman about their age hanging around the fringes of conversation, eyeing Bastien Queensbury and his father with caution. Hermione wondered, outside of Bastien, Draco, and Theo … Had she met any of Blaise's friends? Not the people he considered family, but friends? Seamus leaned over to Hermione and whispered,

"This is perfect for Dean, he'll be over the bloody moon."

"I'm surprised Bastien invited you." Hermione admitted, "I didn't know he knew—"

"I expect your boyfriend did the legwork on that. He's a good acquaintance, but Zabini's become a true friend for me. Something—"

"Alright, c'mere," Harry appeared and gripped Seamus 'round the shoulders. "Gin let me off the leash and it's so fucking good to see you, Shea."

"I missed you so fucking much, mate." Seamus's eyes were watery when he said, "Sorry I couldn't be there for you when you were forced into retirement."

"Don't worry about it, nobody could be, not really."

"Is Ginny going to stab me with the cake knife when I'm not looking?"

"Yeah," conceded Harry, "most likely."

"Seamus!" Neville called from halfway across the room. He sped over and Seamus let go of Harry to hug Neville instead. "You look great."

"You still finding new ways to grow plants?"

"Actually we're working on utilizing the air filtration technology in plants and applying it to—"

"Oi, it's my boy!" Ron appeared out of nowhere, as though everyone had to greet Seamus in order of ascending height. He pulled Seamus from Neville's hug and wrapped his arm around Seamus's shoulders. "Everyone, listen up! This bloke here just got dumped by his fiancé, and is here celebrating his ex-husband's new fiancé, so if you know any single gay men—"

Seamus ran a hand over his face and said, "You don't need to tell everyone my life's gone to shit, mate."

"Shea's a good guy to have 'round because he can start a fire with nothing but sticks and defuse a bomb. I'm just saying he's on the market."

Then it was a flurry of questions.

"You were engaged?"

"You're not engaged?"

Seamus was left to fend for himself as Ron stepped away, looking quite satisfied with himself. Bastien appeared and asked,

"What the hell did you do that for?"

"Knowing Zabini, he's got rich friends. Where else will Shea find a half-dozen gay millionaires?"

"Fair." Bastien's phone buzzed in his pocket. He read a text then shouted to the room, "Places, everyone! They'll be here in two minutes!"

A football-shaped cake was wheeled in from somewhere. The three dozen or so of them gathered around it, with Scorpius out front. He was shaking with excitement. They heard Draco's voice first, then Blaise and Dean walked 'round the corner moments later.

"SURPRISE!"

It took a moment for each of them to process what was happening. Scorpius bolted for Blaise and hugged him around the legs. Dean's eyes, however, locked onto one person. He waded through the crowd of people, past the cake, and cried as he hugged his mother. She patted his back and said,

"I told you, Dean, you're my baby boy whether you like it or not. I quite like that Zabini boy, too, but you never gave me time to say so."

"I know." Dean's voice cracked and he said, "I wanted you to like him so bad. Is Ava—"

"We're here, Dean." His mother walked toward Blaise and said, "Let's focus on those of us who are happy for you." She hugged Blaise and said, "Congratulations on giving my son the life he deserves."

"Thank you." Then Blaise caught sight of his guests. His eyes lit up as she shouted, "Ex-husband?!"

Seamus opened his arms wide and replied, "Future husband!"

"Honestly." Draco's breath was warm against Hermione's cheek as he leaned down from behind to say, "It's a bit like a reunion."

Hermione turned and kissed him quickly before saying, "It's what they deserve."

"And what of us, then? What do we deserve when it's our turn?"

"Something quiet, like nothing will change, because it won't."

"Noted." Draco bent down for another kiss, but spotted someone in the corner. He stood up to his full height and asked, "Pansy?"

The pale woman skirting around the edges of conversation offered an anxious wave. Draco rushed across the room and scooped her up onto his shoulder. She tried to kick him in the chest, but he spun her around in a circle before placing her back on the ground.

It seemed Hermione wasn't as well-versed in Draco's friends as she believed. Blaise's mouth dropped open when he caught sight of that Pansy person. He and Theo rushed over and exchanged hugs, as though they hadn't seen her for years. Hermione watched as Padma nodded toward them, and Bastien begrudgingly made his way to that group. The Pansy person stared up at him, terrified. Hermione couldn't blame her; if Bastien Queensbury was looking at her like that, she would run extraordinarily fast in the opposite direction. Bastien offered his hand, Pansy accepted, then Bastien turned his back and walked away.

"She was the boys' friend in school."

Hermione jumped a bit, surprised to find Padma at her side.

"Oh?"

"They were caught in a drugs bust and Pansy, there, is a cocaine addict. She placed her cocaine into Bastien's pocket. He was expelled from uni and banned from boxing until she confessed."

"That explains the hostility," replied Hermione, "I feel it across the room."

"That handshake was fifteen years of work." Padma spun the water glass around in her fingers. "He has been holding onto a lot of unnecessary rage, and I want it gone before our baby arrives."

"Reconciliation seems to be the theme of the day."

Ginny and Parvati joined the group. Cedric came over to say hello before he was whisked away. The first half hour at the party was a blur of conversation and drinks and little games they'd set up around the perimeter of the space. The kids were trying to score goals into a tiny net behind the Arsenal keeper. She let Albus score and, by the reaction of the other kids, it was like he'd won the FA Cup. Tiny screams of joy rang through the space, and Blaise's friends appeared to be lavishing praise on Dean, who looked overwhelmed.

"Hermione?"

She shook herself out of her thoughts and turned toward Parvati.

"Hmm?"

"Ginny just mentioned you look a bit outside yourself. We worry after, well, after." Parvati shrugged and said, "We worry, is all."

Hermione insisted, "It's nothing."

Ginny replied, "It feels like something."

"It's only that Draco kept dropping hints, then asked outright if it was okay to propose before my birthday. He told his friends weeks ago he intended to propose within the week. I can't figure out what's gone wrong, why he's waiting. You're all happy and engaged or married. All of you, now." Hermione admitted, "It's difficult to not feel I'm behind."

Parvati offered, "Perhaps he waited because he didn't wish to overshadow this party. The engagement celebration that was messed up the first time, he wouldn't want anything to dampen the spirit again."

"Perhaps," conceded Hermione. "Doesn't make me feel better, but you may be right."

"At least your husband isn't inhaling an entire tray of finger sandwiches," said Padma.

They turned to watch Ron and Bastien eating the tiny sandwiches one handful at a time, from a tray they pilfered from some unsuspecting waiter. Ginny sighed.

"Are we all truly going to be normal about Seamus? He just …" She clenched her jaw. "He did what he did and I don't intend to be okay with it."

"You hold the grudges that suit you," replied Parvati. "But if Bastien can overcome his hatred of Draco's mum, maybe there's room for you to shrink your animosity a bit."

"But—"

"Seamus saw things none of us wanted to see," said Padma. "He was a better friend to Dean than we were, and Dean will defend him to the ends of the earth. If Dean is past it, I am past it and I think we all ought to be."

Ginny scoffed, "Where's this altruism coming from?"

"Well," Padma sighed, "Bas is going to kill me for this, but we're having a baby." She looked hesitantly toward Parvati and admitted, "I hesitated to tell you because I didn't know how best to say it."

Parvati hugged Padma and said, "This is the best news ever!"

Hermione asked, "Best news ever?"

"We have the same body. If you can carry a baby, then I can, too, right?"

Ginny shrugged and said, "Why think otherwise? I'm surprised you wanted it at all, Padma." Ginny asked, rather gingerly, "Did Bastien push you into this?"

"No, but I am glad you know me well enough to ask. Bastien would never push me into anything, never guilt me into anything, but I guilted myself into it at first. I watch those kids," she gestured to the continued action over at the miniature goal, "then I look at Bastien and I see it in his eyes. He will be a great father and I want to give that to him."

They continued to chat, but Ginny leaned over to whisper in Hermione's ear.

"Dean's sitting outside in the seats. I can't go to him because I'll start talking shit about Shea and he doesn't need that. Will you go for me?"

Hermione nodded and made what she hoped was an inconspicuous exit from the party. She noted Dean sitting midway through one row completely obscured inside by paneling. Hermione sat in the chair next to him and stared out at the empty pitch. She assumed there would be something eerie about the total absence of fans and movement. Instead, the whole area was abuzz with anticipation for the next time the stands would be filled. Dean looked down at his hands and said,

"I only needed a moment."

"I know." Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and repeated, "I know."

"That Bastien thought to do this … To spend so much money because he wanted me and Blaise to be celebrated properly. I never thought I'd have this kind of love from my family." Dean wiped tears from his eyes. "I didn't have to fight for this. I didn't have to earn this at all. And thank you for being nice to Seamus, that means the world to him."

"I knew I was the one holding everyone else back. Well, me and Ginny, but she'll never forgive him. He deserves to be reminded of what he did, but we've shunned him long enough."

"I was so close to not having this." Dean shook his head. "If I'd died, this never would have happened. We'd all be alone and sad, exactly as I was then."

"When you've been around as many shitty, terrible people as I have," Hermione sighed, "you understand just how important the good ones are. You've got such a kind soul, Dean. I never want you to lose that."

"How could I when I have friends like this? Family like this?"

"Like you said," Hermione gently squeezed his arm, "we're not alone."

.oOo.

September 18th.

Wednesday night.

Hermione accepted that the proposal wouldn't come. She would wake up in the morning as a thirty-five-year-old woman with a boyfriend. She would not wake up as a thirty-five-year-old woman with a fiancé. That was fine. That was totally, completely, perfectly fine.

She found herself in Scorpius's bedroom, on the left side of the bed with Draco on the right. Scorpius was in the middle, leaning backward against them. He held a draft copy of Dean's latest book, Potion Problems. Dean insisted Scorpius was the perfect test audience, certain to have the optimal feedback. The students in the story, quite clearly drawn from Dean's closest circle of friends, were learning to create a potion to keep nightmares away.

Their first attempt had too many bubbles. The second attempt didn't have any bubbles. The third attempt exploded and covered the room in purple gobs of half-baked potion.

Hermione enjoyed listening to Draco read the bedtime stories. Everything she knew of him before they met was highbrow and sensual. This part of him, hidden from the public, was what she loved more than any. He was quite adept at impressions, but he created voices for each of the characters in the book. When the bubbles burst, he made little popping sounds that Scorpius emulated with a smile.

There was nothing better than watching the two of them together. Scorpius looked so much like his father, and he was slowly reviving the happiness inside of Draco. Hermione had seen it even in the few months they'd been together as a family. Draco smiled more, laughed louder, and he wasn't afraid to dress a bit more … Well, her mother would use the word 'feminine,' but it was simply Draco enjoying fine fabrics and things that sparkled. If anything, Hermione hoped she had helped him embrace the parts of himself he pushed away for so long. At the end of the book, Draco read,

"Even with potions spilled all over the floor, the students would return tomorrow to learn some more."

"Where's the end?" asked Scorpius. He pointed to the lower corner of the right page and said, "Right here, Dean always puts 'The End.'"

"I dunno, Scorp." Draco feigned ignorance and said, "Perhaps there's another page?"

Scorpius fiddled with the book before getting his finger beneath the page. He flipped to the back and Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Then another one. It felt like she was falling off a cliff because nestled into the back cover of the book was an engagement ring. Hermione hadn't noticed how conspicuously thick the back cover was, it never crossed her mind … Luna had drawn the three of them cuddled in a bed together with that very book. On the opposite page, right above the ring, were the written words:

Will you marry me?

Scorpius squealed in delight. He turned around to look at his father, surprised, then hugged him around the neck. Draco said,

"Hermione, when I'm looking back on my life, the happiest moments will be these. You, me, and our son together doing the simplest things. If you would do me the honour of becoming my wife, I promise never to forget how important it is to make time for all of us. You are the most tenacious, incredible, good-hearted person I've ever met. I am constantly in awe of your fearlessness, and your drive to advocate for a better world. If Astoria taught me anything, it was never to take a single moment for granted. It was to never wait to put our love in writing, to swear it in front of God and everyone we know. Because I love you, but more than that, you have made me whole again in a way no one else could. And, most importantly, you brought me back to my son. Hermione Jean Granger," Draco hugged Scorpius just a bit tighter, "will you marry me?"

"Maman?" asked Scorpius, in a quiet voice.

Hermione managed to keep her voice steady when she asked, "Yes, baby blond?"

"It's okay if you say no, but I hope you say yes. You make my dad happy, but you make me really happy, too."

"Then how could I say no?" asked Hermione. She kissed Draco gently and whispered against his lips, "Yes. I will marry you."

He grinned and asked, "Are you sure?"

"As certain as I've ever been. This is my family, Draco, and I have never been happier."

"Put it on!" Scorpius managed to dig the ring out of the book and offer it up to Hermione. "It's pink!"

Hermione laughed and offered her left hand so Scorpius could slide the ring onto her finger. He tried to place it on her middle finger so Draco deftly grabbed the ring and put it in its proper location. The engagement ring itself was a bright pink stone, about 2 carats, surrounded by tiny diamonds.

"It's a pink sapphire, about a hundred years old, my four-times great grandfather purchased this from Cartier. I think most women in the Malfoy line considered it a rather jaunty piece, but I figured if you're going to be wearing a symbol of me then it should be incredibly ostentatious."

"And beautiful." Hermione looked down at the ring on her finger and tilted her hand a bit to watch it glimmer in the light. "Do you know something? This feels so right that I don't feel any different at all."

Scorpius jumped off the bed and ran to the door, shouting, "UNCLE BLAISE! UNCLE BLAISE! FATHER AND MAMAN—"

He flung open the door to reveal both Blaise and Dean, who had clearly just had their ears pressed to the door. They stepped back in unison, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. She held up her left hand and asked,

"Is this why you knew Draco was going to propose? You helped him with logistics."

Dean blushed and said, "We've been planning it for weeks, had to get the compartment for the ring custom-carved into the book."

"It was perfect." Hermione pressed her hand to Draco's chest and said, "You both did perfectly well."

Scorpius flung himself onto the floor and smiled up at the ceiling. With a soft sigh, he announced to the world,

"I'm so happy my family's together."

Draco couldn't stop smiling when he asked, "How should we celebrate, Scorp?"

Scorpius sat up on his elbows and shouted, "LUCKY CHARMS!"